A Phoenix Fantasy
by Julia Mars
Summary: Another my version of book V from years past. I had some theories most proven wrong now about a connection between Harry and Fawkes, as well as a return of the Chamber of Secrets... Since JK beat me to the finish, I don't see myself completing it.
1. End of Summer Plans and Fiasco

Chapter 1: End of Summer Plans and Fiasco

There are some things that seem somewhat useless when one is first exposed to them at a young age that are actually quite purposeful. Take love for example, in the eyes of a 4 year old: you spend all waking moments thinking about, being with, writing to, and talking to someone of the opposite sex. Then one day that person stops liking you and the world ends: useless, huh? Well Harry Potter knows differently on this specific topic of love.

Harry Potter was a 15-year-old wizard. His room (when on holiday) was always adorned with his wand, spell books, parchment and quills, Firebolt broomstick, Invisibility Cloak, and (when she wasn't hunting or delivering mail) owl Hedwig. During the school terms Harry attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, headed by Albus Dumbledore. In Harry's opinion, Hogwarts was the best place to be. There were only 2 major imperfections in Harry's young life- his non-magic (muggle) relatives the Dursleys whom he lived with, and Lord Voldemort.

Lord Voldemort was the most powerful and dangerously crazy dark wizard the magical community had ever seen. Even thought he hadn't been seen for 13 years, most of the magical community still feared to say his name. Voldemort had killed Harry's parents, Lily and James Potter, and tried to kill infant Harry, but Harry was saved by his parent's sacrifice out of love. They died to save him, invoking a powerful bit of old magic that gave Harry protection from Voldemort, thus the curse rebounded on Voldemort leaving him less than a spirit, and leaving Harry with his unique lightning scar on the forehead.

Harry had met Voldemort three times since the night he got his scar, the latest being only a month earlier when Voldemort had used a potion involving Harry's blood to get his body and power's back. (The potion called for the blood of any enemy and Voldemort wished to use Harry's blood specifically in order to get the protection Harry had from his parents' sacrifice.) Harry was the only person who had lived after Voldemort decided to kill them, making him famous. Voldemort disappeared that same night, making Harry even more famous. Harry found interesting that every wizarding child grew up knowing his name and he had the pleasure of facing everyday torture from the Dursleys. Harry had concluded that the Dursleys were the biggest muggles one had ever meet, except maybe for witch-burners from the 14th century.

Harry also knew about the love in a friendship. His best friend Ron Weasley was a pure blood wizard and (after a good laugh somewhat at Harry's expense) was always willing to fill Harry in on something he missed out on from growing up with muggles. Harry's other best friend Hermione Granger was muggle born, and was the top witch in their year. She had a slight case of know-it-all-ism, but Harry and Ron got somewhat used to her perfectionism. Actually, it seemed that it was Hermione had gotten used to being called a know-it-all more than anyone getting used to her study habits; Ron still called her a know-it-all about once a week. The two of them often argued their strong opposing opinions on many topics. Harry knew all too well how they could forget their differences when he had bigger problems, usually when Voldemort was on his mind.

A large tawny post owl interrupted Harry's thoughts with a letter bearing the Hogwarts crest, followed by Hedwig. Harry opened the letter from Hogwarts first, and as he expected there was no new information except that dress robes were not needed. Harry held back a chuckle at the thought of Ron's second hand dress robes that could have easily been mistaken for Ginny's new dress. He put the letter aside and moved on to Hedwig. She had a letter that, after seeing the neat handwriting, was undoubtedly from Hermione.

_Dear Harry,  
Has Dudley received any packages that squirm lately? After hearing about what happened when you got home _-Dudley had tried to take Hedwig to show his gang-_ I was so angry I sent him a cursed toy owl that screeches all night and only the owner can hear it. How's Sirius? The final plans for August are as follows.  
-Ron arriving at my house by Floo Powder in the morning  
-We pick you up at noon  
-My parents take us all to lunch  
-Return to my house and then travel to Ron's by Floo Powder  
Either way we'll pick you up but make it look like you need their permission. See you 31-7!  
Hermione_

It had taken the better part of July to work out how to get Harry to the Weasleys'. They finally decided that it would be safest for Hermione's parents, being muggles, to pick him up, but Harry still wasn't sure. He'd ask the Dursleys' permission at dinner. Harry then saw a very small dark owl he didn't recognise sitting on the windowsill. He opened the letter and began to read. He recognised this handwriting as his godfather's.

_Dear Harry,  
I'm sorry about not writing for so long. We have reason to believe that Death Eaters are being retrained around here because of the excessive amount of deaths and strange injuries that look like unsuccessful attempts at the Killing Curse. I still can't say exactly where I am, but I think you'll remember Dumbledore telling me where to "lie low for a while," When you write try not to use the same owl every time, it could get suspicious. Hope you're well.  
Sirius_

Sirius' letter reminded Harry of a few things. One way Dumbledore had devised to keep him safe from Voldemort was to be in a relations' care. The Weasleys weren't a relation, but they were pure bloods. It would only be for a month, and Voldemort was rumoured to be retraining the Death Eaters around Lupin's house, but where was that? Voldemort didn't have a problem killing the innocent, so would he really be any less safe with the Weasleys? He decided to risk it and go, but decided against writing it to Sirius in case the letter was intercepted.  
Harry pulled out fresh parchment and his last quill that was on its last leg.

_Dear Sirius,  
Good luck in everything you have to do, I hope you won't need it. Be careful. As usual I'm counting the days until Hogwarts (32 days). We're all wondering who the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is. Hermione said there was nothing in the Daily Prophet about it yet. I think I speak for the whole of the school when I say 'We want Lupin back!' I have to go to dinner now or Dudley will eat mine for me. I'll send this next week to avoid the full moon.  
Harry_

Harry proceeded then to dinner. Aunt Petunia's cooking had gotten, if anything, worse. For Harry, that is; Dudley still got gourmet meals to make up for last year. Harry had for every meal some colour lumps and occasionally a sauce. He decided to ask Uncle Vernon about going to Hermione's at the end of dinner, just in case it got him banned from the table. Not that Harry liked his Aunt's cooking, he was starving and had already emptied his secret stash of sweets from his friends except for the trecle tarts that he was certain were alive. Harry asked after pudding.

"Uncle Vernon?"

He grunted.

"My friend Ron invited me and our other best friend to spend August at his house," Harry explained cautiously.

"You've got another friend?" snorted Uncle Vernon.

"She's top in the year."

"She?" mused Dudley.

"You're not going," said Uncle Vernon finally. Harry figured his Uncle must have still been having mental pains thinking of last year when the hearth had been blown across the room.

"Oh, they aren't coming by- er, wouldn't be coming that way, Hermione's parents would be picking me up. They're mugg- er, normal. They'd be coming by car," Harry explained.

"No."

"Then you'll have to take me to London pretty soon to get my stuff- you've never been to my part of London," he tried.

"Find your own way to your London, and to that ruddy school."

Harry was getting desperate.  
"I guess I could always have our house connected to the Floo Network again, that's the thing that blew the hearth across the room."

"They wouldn't listen to you, you're underage."

Even thought Uncle Vernon was right, Harry was getting extremely annoyed. He knew one more scam to try.

"Well, if you won't take me to Diagon Alley, I guess Sirius could always take me. Or maybe that muggle-hating dark wizard, the one who gave me this" Harry pointed to his scar "will figure out where we live. He's really mad about me depriving him of his body for all those years, but he got it back last month."

Dudley started teetering on his chair at memories, and he'd only met the nicer full-grown wizards.

"They haven't caught that murderer yet?" asked Aunt Petunia, obviously shocked.

"Nope, not Sirius, nor Voldemort come to think of it."

"Why not?"

"Well, Sirius is quite sneaky to say the least, and as I said Voldemort hasn't had a body for thirteen years," Harry answered mildly.

Petunia shivered.

"Fine, you can go, but they better-"

"-Come by car? I already said they would be."

"If they don't, I'll have your head."

Harry, rather than argue about his head, left for his room to write Hermione.

_Dear Hermione,  
You really didn't have to do that to Dudley, but I'm glad you did. 31-7 sounds great, I'd love to see your house. Uncle Vernon approved, but something tells me he'll regret it later. I think he forgot to weigh the fact that your parents let you go to Hogwarts, but oh well. Sirius is fine; but I can't tell you where he is in the event that this is intercepted, but he said that Death Eaters are being retrained around there. Oh, by the way, I hope you understand the Potions Essay: I'm oblivious. Can't wait until 31-7!  
Harry _


	2. Birthday Surprises

Chapter 2: Birthday Surprises

Harry's birthday came with an eventful start. Harry heard a thud and a squeaky elf voice calling his name. He looked over and saw a blurry green shape holding his glasses.

"D-Dobby? What are you doing here?" Harry stuttered. "Again," he added as an after thought.

"Dobby wants to wish Harry Potter a Happy Birthday, sir!" said Dobby. He was a house elf, a species that existed to serve wizards in a type of enslavement. Dobby was now wearing the maroon sweater Ron had given him for Christmas over the Hogwarts' Elf Uniform of a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts' crest, his tea cozy and of course: socks, one being the exact sock he had been freed with.

"Dobby, may I have my glasses?"

"Oh, oh yes, Harry Potter, sir. Dobby is wanting to give Harry Potter his gift now." Dobby proudly presented Harry with- more socks. One had patterned dragons, the other wands; no one had the heart to tell Dobby that socks were supposed to match.

"They're- thanks Dobby."

"Dobby also brought Hagrid's present for Harry Potter." Hagrid was the Hogwarts gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures teacher, who seemed to think that creatures were boring if they had no danger on them to work around, such as poisonous fangs, sharp claws, or a horrible disposition.

"Dobby must be getting back to Hogwarts, sir. Dobby will see Harry Potter when term starts!"

"Bye, Dobby," said Harry sleepily. Dobby disappeared with a crack. Harry thought he heard Dudley stir in the room next door, but dismissed it. He turned to Hagrid's gift, which was assorted sweats, homemade of course. Harry, having much experience with Hagrid's cooking, used them to fix an uneven leg on his desk. He suspected that Ron and Hermione would give him their presents later that day. Harry pulled on his robe and went to get something for breakfast.

The Dursleys were still asleep, which was the only was Harry almost liked them. He looked in the refrigerator for actual food rather than the sweets and fizzy drinks Dudley inhaled, finding the last apple. He went upstairs to finish the packing he started the night before. He opened the door to his room only to find Dudley holding his wand. Harry stopped dead.

"Dudley, put that down. It's not a toy," he said as calmly as possible.

"You can't boss me, you're nothing without the wand, and Dad said so," replied Dudley. He waved it carelessly and a few sparks flew out. Harry was panicked; Dudley was fascinated.

"Dudley, you're not magic, it won't work for you. Just give me the wand," said Harry, his voice shaking.

"I'll show you!" shouted Dudley as raised the wand and shouted, "ABRA KEDABRA!"

Nothing happened; Harry was relieved.

"Told you," he said calmly.

"IT'S BROKEN!"

Dudley threw up the wand and Harry jumped to catch it, thanking his Quidditch reflexes. Dudley moved on to Harry's trunk.

"Dudley, there's nothing in there that would be of your interest," Harry tried. Dudley, not understanding the proper language, kept advancing. He took out the Invisibility Cloak.

Harry couldn't hold back an immediate reflex, "Dudley, hands off! That was my dad's, and if you ruin it-"

"You'll what, magic me away?" said Dudley lazily.

Harry bit his lip to keep from swearing loud enough to be heard. He was doing some quick thinking. What chaos could arise from a muggle discovering the cloak, or, if Dudley kept looking, the Firebolt? Not wanting to find out, Harry raised his wand.

"Accico!" said Harry and the cloak flew from Dudley's grasp to Harry's outstretched arm.

Dudley couldn't seem to find the right words to describe his rage.

"What- You- not- use- m- magic!" Dudley stuttered as his face turned lighter than his hair.

"Sorry, if you figure out this, then I'd have to kill you, and you don't add much to my décor." Harry smirked. "Just stay out of my stuff so I don't have to transfigure you. A teacher turned someone into a little white ferret last year. I've been looking for someone to practise that on…" he added, eying Dudley slyly. Dudley ran from the room.

Harry sighed with relief; Dudley hadn't ruined the cloak and there was no letter from the Improper Use of Magic Office. Harry packed away his cloak along with everything else that was still out in his room. Hedwig seemed a bit ruffled still at the sight of Dudley.

"We'll be going to Hermione's today, so is Ron. Don't let Crookshanks bother you, and try to take it easy on Pig," Harry said to her. She seemed a bit tired; she'd been out hunting for almost a week. Pig was Ron's owl, which annoyed everything within five feet of him.

Promptly at noon, the doorbell rang. Harry thought he was flying down the stairs, but still wasn't faster than an angry Uncle Vernon.

"Enchante, Mr. Dursley," said Mrs. Granger.

Uncle Vernon grunted. He commented, "So, how do you deal with that, that school?"

"Oh, from what Hermione tells us it's wonderful!" Mr. Granger replied.

"You mean they don't force them to go to that 'school,' you allow it?" he said, flabbergasted.

"Why wouldn't we want Hermione going to Hogwarts? You have heard about You-Know-Who, haven't you?" Mrs. Granger explained.

"Uncle Vernon prefers to live in ignorance rather than put in an effort to understand the truth. Could you two help me with my trunk?" Harry explained and asked Ron and Hermione. They followed automatically.

"Guess who I found in here a few hours ago? Just guess," said Harry.

"Dobby?" guessed Hermione.

"Him too, but not what I was thinking of."

"Aragog?" guessed Ron with a smirk.

"No, Dudley was in here with my wand.

Hermione gasped, "What did he do?"

"Screamed 'Abra Kedabra!' and threw it down when it didn't do anything."

"What if he'd slipped and said…" Ron trailed off. Avada Kedarva was the killing curse and scarily similar to Dudley's meaningless gibberish.

"Would it even have worked?" Harry asked Hermione. "Because I really wasn't in the mood to find out."

"Probably not," answered Hermione.

"He still could have snapped it," Ron added. He shivered with memories of his old Spell-o-taped wand.

"That screech owl has been my new favourite toy. Dudley can't break it – he tried – and he's been sleeping most of the time instead of chasing me," Harry said with a relieved smile.

Hermione's voice dropped as she asked, "So where's Sirius?"

"He's at Lupin's," Harry answered with the same volume. "It hasn't been safe to write because of the amount of deaths and strange illnesses that look like unsuccessful attempts at, you know…" Harry trailed, as he did not like saying the words of the Killing Curse.

"I really don't look forward to seeing the Slytherins this year, less than usual," groaned Hermione.

Ron scowled. Gryffindors such as themselves were, for the most part, morally opposed to Slytherins. It was the only house that had ever turned out a dark witch or wizard that anyone knew of. Harry, Ron and Hermione were in particular at the most odds with Draco Malfoy. Malfoy's father had been among the Death Eaters that returned to Voldemort the previous year. The entire family was pure blood wizard and thought that gave them a right to be extremely egotistical. Malfoy was never seen without his groupies, Crabbe and Goyle, the largest boys in their year and the next. Malfoy also used threats involving the words "my father" about ten times a day.

By now they were downstairs with Harry's trunk and Hedwig.

"I'd sure like to see him pick on us in front of Bill or Charlie. Might change his attitude then," said Ron wistfully.

Right then Uncle Vernon's rage broke on the Grangers.

"SHE'S A WITCH! THEY USED TO BURN THEIR TYPE AND I THINK THEY HAD THE RIGHT IDEA!"

"Uncle Vernon?" said Harry meekly.

"WHAT?" Vernon bellowed.

"Burning doesn't do any good. There's a simple charm that turns it to tickling," Harry explained.

"Some liked it so much that they let themselves be caught multiple times," Hermione added.

Uncle Vernon looked about ready to explode, which considering what happened to Aunt Marge wasn't really that funny. 

"OUT! NOW!"

No one needed telling twice. Hermione grabbed Hedwig while Harry and Ron grabbed the trunk. Mr. and Mrs. Granger held the door for them and they all ran for the car.

Hermione took care of introductions and they proceeded to lunch. Ron couldn't figure out the fortune cookies and why they wouldn't explode like Wizard Sweets. They returned to Hermione's and Ron dug out a bag of Floo Powder.

"Just hop in and say 'the Burrow.' You two go first with Hedwig and Crookshanks and I'll go with the trunk," Ron instructed, giving Hermione a handful of the powder.

Harry and Hermione squeezed into Hermione's small fireplace. Hermione threw the powder and they both said clearly "The Burrow!" Harry felt the spinning sensation that was the Floo Network, and suddenly it was over. He and Hermione were being thrown out of the Weasleys' walk in fireplace (strangely in the parlour instead of the kitchen) and were joined a minute later by Ron and the trunk.

"Ron, where is everyone?" asked Hermione.

"I don't know, maybe they're out. Let's get something to eat while they're gone," said Ron. They walked into the kitchen, when suddenly-

"SURPRISE!" shouted Fred, George, Ginny, and Mr. &Mrs. Weasley as Harry, Ron and Hermione walked in. There was a giant chocolate cake on the table that said 'Happy Birthday Harry' in green writing. Harry was dumbfounded.

"You-, this-, a set up?"

"You said yourself, you'd never had a real birthday party except when Hagrid took you to Diagon Alley," said Ron.

"And that one doesn't really count," added Hermione.

"We were only too willing to help!" said Mrs. Weasley with a broad smile.

"All right, now that the emotional bit is over, let's get to the cake!" said Fred and the cake magically cut its self in to eight pieces. Harry smiled and grabbed a party hat, then turned to Ron.

"Where's Percy? I haven't seen him yet," he asked.

"Oh, him. He didn't take the news of You-Know-Who that well from what Dad tells us. Only comes down from that room to leave and for meals," answered George, glaring up the stairs.

"Getting a bit stingy on the meals part, too," added Fred, also glaring.

Harry made a mental note, and joined the party.

The rest of Harry's time at the Weasleys' was spent as he liked it: people treated him normally, like at Hogwarts. After Hermione checked his homework, they established that his problem was in his grammar.

"Dudley punched me especially hard after our first grammar lessons and when ever I use it right big fists keep appearing, swinging at my head…" Harry explained once after a verbal assault from Hermione about usage of commas.

Unfortunately, the owner of the cold high voice that haunted Harry's nightmares had plans for the last nights of Harry Potter's summer holidays.  
The fire crackled merry, that is as merrily as a fire created by this occupant could be. Other than the large green snake by the armchair and the wand on the table, one see no reason to suspect something strange and sinister about the house, or the man occupying it.

Voldemort paced around the Riddle House sitting room. Despite the rigorous training he had put his Death Eaters through, he still had doubts about their ability and willingness. Voldemort rolled up his left sleeve and pressed a finger to the Dark Mark. The Death Eaters began Apparating in all corners of the room. They fell to their knees as they approached their master.

The Death Eaters assembled their new circle, closing the gaps of the dead and those too cowardly to return. (The cowards would be severely punished as soon as revenge on Potter was taken care of.)

"Aahh, my true family returns once again. I need three of you to run a little errand. This is the day before Harry Potter and his comrades leave for Diagon Alley and time for our master plan to begin. Which of you shall fetch for me Harry Potter?"

It seemed as though time had stopped: no one stepped forward. Voldemort had known this would divide the Death Eaters into those who believed in his cause and those who wanted his power, but he hadn't thought that they'd all be in the same depressing category.

"Now, now, at least three of you must be willing to fetch a little 15 year old," said Voldemort, his curled smiled fading.

A pale and blonde Death Eater stepped forward and said, "My Lord, is he not very well prote-"

"Am I to understand that you are all afraid of a teenager, protected by Dumbledore, Lucius?" Voldemort hissed with his eyes flashing dangerously. "You fear Dumbledore's protection more than my wrath? Perhaps I should have fed you all to Nagaini."

"I will go," said Lucius quickly. Two others stepped forward.

"Aahh, Macnair. Wormtail, what a surprise, I expected less. Bring to me Harry Potter and his comrades, and we shall show the world that Lord Voldemort has truly–"

The door broke down before he could finish.

"Wormtail, see what that racket-"

He was once again interrupted, this time by a distinct werewolf howl.

"My Lord, I thought you said that this is a muggle village?" one Death Eater asked.

"It is a muggle village! All of you go take care of it before it attracts the mudbloods!"

The scratching on the stairs had been moving still closer, but now was at the door, which was not locked. A werewolf and a very large dog bounded into the room. Wormtail let out a high-pitched scream and suddenly there was a rat sitting right where he had been. The rat ran to the nearest hole in the wall.  
The werewolf turned his attention to Lucius. His pale face went even whiter and he froze. The werewolf lunged at him and Lucius almost recovered in time, but the werewolf had gotten his foot. Lucius cursed loudly.

The black dog was also biting its share of Death Eaters. Eventually they all got away long enough to Dissapparate. Just after they left, the clouds shifted and the werewolf began transforming back into the rather shabby looking man in a torn cloak. The black dog's head emerged from the hole empty handed and changed back into a man with wild black hair and lively eyes.

"Missed 'im by a hair," groaned the werewolf.

"Damn, why does Wormtail have to be so damn quick?" griped the dog-man.

"Let it go, Sirius. What were they saying?"

"Missed it."

Suddenly a rock flew through a window followed by taunts of the village boys. Both men nodded and Dissapparated with a pop.

Harry woke suddenly with a (sadly) familiar pain in his scar. He thought he'd had another dream that was truly a window to what was happening around Voldemort. Dumbledore believed that Harry's scar was pained when he was either near Voldemort or when Voldemort was in a particularly murderous mood. The only difference was that (if Harry had perceived correctly) Sirius and Lupin had shown up and chased the Death Eaters away. Harry thought he might have been really dreaming at the next point, but he was almost certain that Lupin had bitten Lucius Malfoy. Harry couldn't stand the suspense, and grabbed some parchment and a quill.

_Dear Sirius,  
I had another one of my famous Voldemort dreams again. The difference this time was that I think I saw you and Lupin. Voldemort was picking 'volunteers' to (I think) bring me, Ron and Hermione to him. I don't remember whom it was going to be, but they were about to leave when you two (in other form) came in a chased them out. I think I might have been truly dreaming at this point, but I think Lupin slipped the bite to Lucius Malfoy. Everyone Dissapparated, and then you two did too when some kids were throwing rocks.  
Did that really happen?  
Harry_

Harry sent the letter off with Hedwig and slowly sank into a fitful sleep.


	3. Adventures in Diagon Alley

Chapter 3: Adventures in Diagon Alley

Ron and Hermione had to do everything short of dropping bombs to wake Harry up. When they asked where Hedwig was, Harry told them she left hunting last night. The Weasleys took the entire crew to Diagon Alley for school supplies on the 30th of September, stopping in the Leaky Cauldron for lunch. Who should they meet as they entered the Leaky Cauldron but Malfoy and his father.

"Hello Draco, Mr. Malfoy. Lovely day, isn't it?" said Hermione brightly.

The Malfoys had looked more sullen than usual, and then even more so after Hermione's remarks.

"Hello Mudblood, obviously doesn't take much to amuse your type," drawled Malfoy.

"Obviously doesn't take much to upset yours," said Ron defensively.

"We're having such a good day even YOU can't spoil it! Even running into a werewolf" -Mr. Malfoy tripped in place on his own feet- "couldn't ruin this beautiful morning!" added Harry.

Malfoy opened his mouth to say something foul, most likely about Lupin, but his father pulled him away and they started down Knockturn Alley. Hermione and the Weasleys looked strangely at Harry, but shrugged it off.

"One of these days he's going to say something horrid around the wrong person and I just hope I'm there to see it," groaned Ron.

"You were, remember? Professor Moody and Malfoy the bouncing white ferret?" Harry prompted. At the time, Ron had instructed Harry and Hermione to leave him alone in order to preserve the memory of Malfoy the bouncing white ferret; Harry and Hermione found it quite interesting that Ron had forgotten so quickly.

"That doesn't count, Moody-Crouch was insane," Ron defended weakly.

"It was still the wrong person," chuckled Hermione.

"Well, we'll arrange a few rooms here while the rest of you shop around," said Mrs. Weasley.

Fred and George went off to find their friend, Lee Jordan; Ginny to find some of her friends; and Harry, Ron and Hermione to shop around.

"Look! It's the newest models!" said Ron excitedly and dragged Harry and Hermione over to the Quality Quidditch Supplies window, displaying some new brooms.

"Oh wow! They're raffling off some antique Silver Arrows!" he shouted, caught up in the excitement. "And Moontrimmers! My Grandparents had one of them but sold it for a Nimbus when they came out." A few people were looking at Ron like a valuable source of broom facts, and then doubled their bids.

"Why would they raffle them off?" asked Hermione.

"You read Quidditch Through the Ages didn't you? The makes were made each by a single person, and there was too much demand- it drove them out of business," answered Ron with the same air that Hermione had when she quoted Hogwarts, A History. Now everyone was tripling his or her bets.

Harry was finding it hard to get excited because of his Firebolt. He didn't want to spoil Ron's fun though.

"Come one, let's get our parchment, quills and potions stuff while the crowd is here," said Hermione, reading Harry's expression. She and Harry pulled Ron away from the window as he shouted to the crowd, "Don't worry, I'll be back!" Harry gave Hermione a relived look as he shouted to Ron, "No you won't; we leave tomorrow!"

"Let's see, the only new books we need are The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 5) and An Advanced Guide to Transfiguration," Hermione recited off her list.  
Harry and Ron were extremely glad that Hermione brought her list; theirs were still in Ron's room.

"You don't need anything for Divination, do you?" asked Hermione.

"No, I don't think…" Ron tried to recall.

"Don't worry about it. Let's see, and I need some new phials, too- the residue on mine has all my potions to thick," said Hermione, looking up as she often did when she was thinking.

"Don't forget that deal on Dungbombs we saw, five for a Galleon!" added Ron enthusiastically.

"I need some new scales, I think Snape tampered with mine. It says the left is heavier when I put rocks on the right," added Harry.  
Snape, the Potions Master, had hated Harry's father at school, and things had only gotten worse after Harry's father saved Snape's life. Snape had "repaid" James by saving Harry's life in First Year. Deciding he was even with the Potters, Snape had gone back to despising them in peace.  
Unfortunately, whom should Harry, Ron and Hermione run in to while getting Potions things but the sinister Professor Snape, who turned to them with a look of angered frustration rather than the usual detestation.

"A word," he hissed at them and led to a back corner.

Harry, knowing Snape's unpredictability, gripped his wand under his cloak.

"Being the only one to recognize this trio's notorious night prowling habits for what they are, I feel obliged to inform you of some circumstances," Snape began curtly.  
"As you know, the Headmaster now has much more to oversee besides corrupted students." 

Harry's eyes narrowed in helpless anger, but Snape continued.

"In the past, you three have been found in some very peculiar places at peculiar hours for no particular reason."

Ron opened his mouth to argue or call Snape something he wouldn't dare to call even Malfoy, but Snape held up a hand to stop him.

"I'm not asking for explanations now, Weasley, as entertaining as they'd be. I am simple telling you to stop looking for trouble. There is much more trouble out there now, and if you continue in your habits, trouble will find you. 'Harry Potter and Two Others Killed at Hogwarts' by Rita Skeeter is not a comforting thing to read in the Daily Prophet," Snape continued.

"We don't need to look for trouble, it always finds us," muttered Harry through clenched teeth and fists.

"Potter, you've done your share of hunting for trouble," Snape snapped.

Harry fought for composure as he automatically recalled how Snape had been the only student who had been poking around enough to find out about Lupin. Snape once again gave Harry the horrible feeling that he could read minds as his eyes were flashing dangerously (as normal).

"In my days at Hogwarts, there was no Voldemort to be concerned with," he hissed very softly. At the word 'Voldemort,' Ron and Hermione flinched like most magical folk, whereas Harry popped out of his slouch.

Snape looked as thought the next words would be painful, and said; "You must remember we are on the same side now, despite many personal differences."

Harry sank back into his slouch.

"Don't think this will affect your treatment in class," said Snape and strutted out of the shop. If looks could kill at that moment, Snape would have been an overly dead ghost at the hands of Harry and Ron.

"Now you know-" Hermione started, but Harry and Ron cut her off.

"Don't tell us he's right."

"But you really should stop looking for trouble," she said, as Percy-like as possible.

"Hermione, trouble finds us. When have we needed to look?" groaned Ron

"How on earth then do you explain looking for the stone in first year?"

"We ducked in the wrong door, Hagrid slipped a few times, knowing Snape, and being in the right place at the right time, or wrong place and time as some might argue," Harry explained.

"Did you really need to follow Snape after that match?" Hermione asked slyly.

"Wouldn't you?" added Ron.

"How about everything involved with the Chamber?" asked Hermione confidently.

"How about getting petrified?" asked Ron, equally confidently.

"So what about using the Marauder's Map? That' just asking for trouble!" said Hermione desperately.

"Not the same type," said Harry shortly.

Hermione, not quite satisfied with her success, had to try for another hit.

"Going to see Hagrid that night: if we hadn't gone Wormtail would be dead, Sirius would be free, and there would still be no You-Know-Who."

"One problem Hermione- IT WAS YOUR IDEA!" replied Ron, raising his voice to a slight yell. A few people looked over.

"Don't start on last year, I didn't put my name in," said Harry flatly.

Hermione, obviously furious with herself, pulled out her list and read her additions to it.

"Let's see, I need a dozen new quills and as many rolls of parchment as I can carry."

The Weasleys were a bit short on Galleons, so Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Hermione and Ginny all shared a room. Though Malfoy made it out to be horrible, Harry actually enjoyed everyone sleeping in the same room. Harry, Ron and Hermione got back to the Leaky Cauldron at about 8PM with new spell books, quills, parchment, scales, dung bombs, Filibuster's Fireworks, and Harry's present- a wand care kit. Harry's worked perfectly, but had looked extra shabby for quite a while. While Harry was polishing his wand, Ron was loosing badly to Fred at Wizard Chess and George, who would play winner, was trying to commentate. Hermione, as usual, was engrossed in writing, but this time it wasn't a book but a single sheet of paper. Ginny was brushing her teeth.

"Fred, you cheat, you're queen can't move like that!" shouted Ron in protest of Fred's queen walking up five and over seven to put his king in a headlock.

"Next victim," called Fred lazily.

Ron, disgusted, walked over to Harry and Hermione.

"Can you believe him?"

"Uh huh," Harry grunted, half tuned out. Hermione didn't answer. Ron grabbed the piece of paper out of her hands and stifled a gasp.

"Viktor? You're writing to him?" he shouted.

"Pretty rich coming from you," replied Hermione curtly. Fred and George abandoned their game and came to watch the fight.

"But Hermione, he's from Durmstrang – Karkaroff!"

"Oh! Nice cuff by Ron!" said Fred.

"Karkaroff left last year though, remember?" Hermione said lazily. "He didn't even seem to like Karkaroff."

"Ah, but a good point made by Hermione, though," followed George.

Harry, still polishing, completely tuned out. He didn't want to take sides in this one.

"Well, he still went there. What decent person goes there? Malfoy wants to go there!"

"Oooo, that's a good one!" said Fred seriously, but still laughing.

"Oh honestly Ron, Harry even said Krum's really alright, didn't you Harry?"

"Er, yeah, sure."

Fred and George chuckled while Hermione's look intensified.

"Harry also says the name, don't you Harry?"

"Yeah, sure."

"Ron, Harry isn't even listening to us right now."

"Brilliant deduction by Hermione!" shouted George, accompanied by Fred's golf-clap.

"He is too, aren't you Harry!"

"Yeah, sure."

"See?"

Fred and George broke into hysterics and Hermione gave an exasperated sigh. She walked over to the wand care kit and picked up the remainder of the wand polish.

"Here Harry, why don't you taste a bit of wand polish?"

"Er, ye- what?"

"Whoa, and Hermione gets a great burn on Ron!" said Fred enthusiastically.

"We're going to need some aloe vera over here!" added George.

"Point made," groaned Ron and looked severely at the twins, who took no notice.

"What happened?" asked Harry with mild curiosity.

Hermione looked over at Harry and opened her mouth to explain, but stopped, and spontaneously broke into laughter. Fred and George were rolling on the floor. Ron, disgusted with the three-some, suddenly broke into an ear-to-ear grin and flopped onto the nearest bed and hooted with the rest.

Ginny came out of the toilet and stopped abruptly.

"Did I miss something?" she asked a bit nervously.

"Join the club," Harry said, obviously annoyed.

"The joke's on you, Harry!" the twins chorused. Harry couldn't stifle a chortle, which only made the four of them laugh harder.


	4. Back at Hogwarts

Chapter 4: Back at Hogwarts

Harry awoke after the explosion.

"Fred, George, it's too early!" he whined and pulled a pillow over his head.

"Too early for what?" the twins said innocently in unison.

"Couldn't you've let me have a lie in just once this summer?" asked Ron pitifully.

"Nope."

Another explosion rocked the room. Two pillows flew towards Fred and George from Hermione and Ginny's side of the room.

"It's only eight o'clock, we don't leave until 10!" groaned Ginny.

"Exactly, we need to perfect our prototype!"

Everyone groaned. Unfortunately, they weren't the only ones bothered by the explosions. Seven explosions later, there was a knock on the door.

"Come i-in," one of the twins called.

The bellhop walked in and gave sweeping look of disgust at the room.

"What has been going on here?" he said.

"Inventors hard at work, perfecting a prototype before it showcases at 11," answered one of the twins.

The bellhop raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

Ron sat up and explained; "They're fixing up a dodge for their friends at Hogwarts."

A sly smile came over the bellhop.

"Ah, jokes for Hogwarts, of course, how could I not have known," he started murmuring. "Well, you should have told us you were working on a-, an invention, we could have put you in our Inventor's Suit."

The twins suspected a trap.

"Where's that, I've never heard of it," one of them asked.

"Why, just bring your things and follow me," the bellhop said and turned to the rest. "You come too, this is for the entire party."

Five minutes later, they were all sitting on their trunks in their pyjamas- on the edge of the street.

"So, how are the inventors of the hour going to explain this one to mum and dad?" asked Ron while gritting his teeth.

"Shut up," said George, glaring at the Leaky Cauldron.

"I'm cold," said Ginny, shivering. Hermione pulled off her coat and gave it to Ginny, and started shivering.

"Well, there's a first time for everything," Harry started sarcastically.

"Wait- that's it!" shouted Fred.

"What's what?" asked George. Fred was looking at Harry with new light on the situation. George's face lit up slowly.

"No one would want to kick Harry Potter out of The Leaky Cauldron," Fred continued.

"OH no," said Harry and put his hands up in protest. "Don't get me wrong, I want to get back in too, but what am I supposed to do- a Lockhart?"

The twins' smiles widened. Ron was smiling too.

"Go on, they'd listen to you," he said encouragingly.

Harry looked over at Hermione, the only person he could rely on to be sane.

"Well, we do need to get back inside…" she said with a look of pre-guilt.

Harry took a deep breath and pushed his bangs aside to be sure his scar was visible. He started for the door, Weasleys and Hermione following. He pushed open the front door and strutted up to the front desk.

"May I help you?" the clerk asked without looking up from her desk.

"Maybe," said Harry, acting distracted and bored. The clerk looked up and stifled a gasp.

"You- you can't- you're not-"

Ron leaned over the counter and finished for her, "Harry Potter?"

"Yes," she said, trying to cover her blush. "Does Mr. Potter wish for a room?"

"Actually, my associates" -Fred and George smirked professionally and pointed to themselves, Ron, Hermione and Ginny- "and I were kicked out of our room earlier this morning," continued Harry.

"Oh, well, we can put you right back in. Was Mr. Potter bothered by the delinquents making explosions?" the clerk asked.

"That was us," said Fred flatly.

"Oh," she said with the same tone as the bellhop.

"They were fixing a project that broke yesterday," said Harry. "And it's due when they get off the Hogwarts Express. Disrupting a few guests seemed better than possibly de-railing the train."

"What kind of Hogwarts project involves explosions?" the clerk asked sceptically.

George hopped up on the counter, propped himself up on an elbow and looked the clerk straight in the eyes as he put on a deep, suggestive voice.

"We could tell you, but then we'd have to kill you. Now, what say you just give us back our key and I show you my Hogwarts famous recipe for Custard Creams," he said seductively and conjured some "Canary" Creams for the clerk.

"Custard Creams?" the clerk said, obviously trying to restrain herself.

"Yes, fresh Custard Creams, envy of house elves across Britain," said Fred, leaning in. The clerk picked one and took a large bite of it as a look of bliss spread across her face.

"Now get out," she said.

Fred and George got a look of disbelief.

"You, you, YOU CANARY CREAM PLAYER!" shouted Fred.

The clerk pulled out her wand and the next thing Harry knew he and everyone else had flown out the door, this time landing in the mud.

"You couldn't have said it was for Potions, could you?" groaned Ron as he brushed his muddy fringe out of his face

They heard a scream and a 'tweet' and broke into laughter.

"That'll almost make the reaming worth it," said George wistfully, thinking of what state he'd be in after Mrs. Weasley finished with them.

"Harry! Ron! Hermione! Hi! How was summer?" called Neville Longbottom.

"All right Neville?" called Hermione as Neville got trampled by first years getting on to Platform Nine and Three Quarters.

"Fine… Trevor, come back here!"

"Hiya Harry, how are you?" shouted Collin Creevey.

"Hullo Collin…"

"Mummy, look, its Harry Potter!" a few first years shouted. Harry waved politely.

"Still famous," groaned Ron with a smile. Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"Fred! George! Only you two could get kicked out of The Leaky Cauldron, only you two! Heard all about it," said Lee Jordan, coming toward the twins. One might also say that Fred and George looked as though the Night Bus had hit them, and that their hair was standing slightly on end.

"Good bye, Fred, George, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Hermione! Behave this year!" shouted Mrs. Weasley from the platform as the train sped away.

"It'll be nice to go back," said Harry as he kicked his feet up to rest on a seat. Ron followed suit, rubbing his head.

"I can't believe it, we were that close to getting back in, they just had to screw it up," said Ron, almost mournfully, for he had also gotten a blast from the Might Molly.

"Well, you-" Hermione started.

"-deserved it, don't tell me. Oh don't look now, it's the world's cheeriest person heading our way."

Ron unmistakably meant Malfoy, who, followed by Crabbe and Goyle, entered their compartment.

"Well, well, well, it's everyone's favourite misfits. Famous Harry Potter not on top of the world anymore now that You-Know-Who's back," said Malfoy in his usual tone of boredom.

"Malfoy, you of all people here I'd expect to say his name," said Harry casually.

The car suddenly became silent. Unfortunately, Malfoy recovered first.

"And why should I?"

"Why not? You have more connections to him that me," replied Harry, pointing to his scar.

Malfoy took the hint.

"Even so, what idiot says the name?"

Malfoy and Harry were now only about two feet apart in the middle of the car with the rest backing away slowly. Malfoy lowered his voice so that only Harry could hear him.

"You don't have anything. My father makes donations to excellent causes and can charm those he needs. And while you're at it, I've caught a few words about  
how mad he is over you."

"Hmm, seemed to love chatting with me the times I've met him."

"What, you've seen him over holiday?"

"He doesn't know, but yes."

"How?"

"I could tell you, but then you'll tell your father and he'll tell-" Harry lowered his voice even more, "-Voldemort."

"Let's go," Malfoy said, and he Crabbe and Goyle left the room. Ron sniffed as they left.

"Harry, what was that about?" he asked.

"Not important now," Harry said shortly.

"Well stop saying the name! You could get in huge trouble for that!"

"What's he going to do, hear me? Besides, you've never met him, and you're only scaring yourself more by not saying it- that's what he wants."

"I can't stand that Malfoy, he is one slippery git," said George at the opposite door. He and Fred looked like they'd recovered from their reaming.

"Don't tell me you just figured that out," said Ron, fuming.

"Ron, breath," said Fred calmly.

"Don't tell me to breath."

Harry suddenly noticed Hermione sitting on the bench looking a bit down in the dumps. He walked over to her and sat down.

"Hermione, what's wrong?"

"You wouldn't understand."

"Sure I would! What happened?"

"Viktor's letter, first he said he'd be in the country and would meet me here, and I did myself up all nice. I saw him, and he said he wants to break off all contact. I think he found out I'm muggle born."

Ron, still fuming at Malfoy and the twins (who had just left) came over to Harry and Hermione.

"What happened?"

"Well, Hermione- er, the easy way to say, that is, um, she-"

"Viktor broke up with me."

"WHAT?"

"Well, technically we weren't ever going out, but-"

"We have bigger things to worry about, and all you can think of is VICKY?"

Harry, now temporarily deaf and not still wanting to take sides, left Ron and Hermione to their argument. He decided to search for the snack cart, but instead found Cho Chang, his crush, who was apparently looking for him.

"Harry, could I talk to you?" she asked uncertainly.

"Sure," replied Harry, trying to sound nonchalant. They ducked into an empty compartment.

"I need to ask you something," Cho started. It looked to Harry as though she was having some painful thoughts. He almost put an arm around her, but thought better of it.

"Yes?" Harry prompted. It didn't seem to help.

"What happened between you and Cedric in the maze?" Cho spat out.

Harry's hopeful look dropped slightly. He had been hoping for an opportunity to ask Cho out, but talking about her dead boyfriend didn't seem to be the best time. Despite what everyone thought, Harry felt tremendously guilty about Cedric's fate.

"Wow, I don't know where to start. How much did you see and hear?" he said, not wanting to revisit that night.

"Well, we heard Fleur, I think it was Fleur anyway who screamed. Someone in the top, I think it was that Malfoy, said he saw Krum and Cedric and you, and then there was a flash and red sparks. We saw the spider, and then you two disappeared," recalled Cho with travail.

"Ok. I still don't know why Fleur screamed, but you know about Moody, right?" checked Harry.

"Dumbledore said it wasn't the real him, but-"

"That's all you need to know," he said quickly, knowing that Dumbledore would have told the school who had been Moody all that year if they needed to know.

" All right, then. The fake Moody put the Imperious Curse on Krum, and then made him put the Cruciatus Curse on Cedric."  
Cho gasped right on cue.

"I stunned Krum, Cedric sent up sparks, and we set off," explained Harry.

"So about the spider…" asked Cho faintly.

"We both reached the clearing with the cup at about the same time, and then the spider came out of another opening. It turned to Cedric, but my stunning spells bugged it and it picked me up. Disarming got it to drop me, and we finally stunned it at the same time. We argued for about five minutes over who should take the cup, and then I said we should both take it."

Harry took a deep breath as he painfully recalled what had happened next.

"The Fake Moody turned the cup into a Portkey. It took us to a graveyard. We thought it was a part of the task…my scar started burning…I heard this voice…I looked over and Cedric was dead," he said.

"Oh," Cho said, pondering what she had just heard.

They were silent for a bit before she asked, "Harry?"

"What else do you want?" asked Harry sarcastically. Cho smiled broadly for the first time in months.

Just then there was an explosion from Ron and Hermione's compartment. Hermione's unmistakeable scream could be heard from several compartments down.

"RON YOU IDIOT! YOU KNOW SLEAKEAZY'S HAIR POTION MAKES MY HAIR FLAMMABLE!"

Cho looked at Harry, desperately trying to hold in a burst of laughter despite the tears that had started leaking out. Harry smiled back and they went into help Hermione put her hair out. Ron was shooting water from his wand.

"I think that's all of it," he said rather guiltily.

Hermione pulled out a mirror to see her hair, and let out a moan as tears started. Cho went over to try and comfort her.

"Ron, what'd you do this time?" asked Harry with suppressed humour.

"I tried to give her a huge spot and waved my wand to hard and sent sparks," said Ron mournfully with his head in his hands.

"Hermione, it'll be alright, really. You'll grow it back overnight," said Cho consolingly. 

"But I have to live like this for the feast!" said Hermione pitifully.

"Maybe not," said Cho as she conjured scissors out of thin air. "How long do you want it?"

"As long as possible."

Unfortunately, who should hear the commotion, but Malfoy and co., again.

"The mudblood's hair is shorter," he said flatly.

"It is, want me to show you why?" said Ron, eyeing Malfoy suspiciously.

"What's you do, Weasley, belch slugs over it?"

"Hey, my wand works that one good now!"

"Malfoy! Lovely to see you. Got something to ask!" shouted Fred as he and George entered. George pulled out his wand and shouted "Reverso!" and Malfoy's head and rear switched places.

"There, I knew something was wrong! No need to thank us!" said George merrily.

"PUT ME RIGHT! WAIT TILL MY FATHER HEARS ABOUT THIS!"

"Sure, sure," said Fred and switched him back. Malfoy, feeling quite violated, left the room.

"Should've left him like that," muttered Ron.

"Ya, too bad I don't feel like being on Lucius Malfoy's hit list," said George sarcastically.

The train came to a halt, a bit early.

"We're not at school yet, what's going on?" asked Cho.

Harry didn't answer; he was digging for his wand and a happy memory. The only other time the train had stopped before Hogwarts was when Dementors had searched it. Dementors were the guards of Azkaban, the wizard prison. Harry, not wanting to pass out again, was concentrating on his happy memory.

"I told you, I'm not going back in there!" they heard Malfoy argue to Crabbe and or Goyle. The threesome entered the car and before anyone could push them out the doors sealed shut.

"Great, my favourite people," groaned Harry sarcastically. Malfoy sniffed.

"What's happening?" he demanded.

"It's all you, Malfoy, they're stopping to throw you off the train!" said Fred brightly.

"What's the only other time the train stopped like this?"

Malfoy had a look of terror on his face.

"Yes, Dementors!" said Harry.

Just then the door opened and the 9foot hooded Dementor entered. It took in a cold breath and started to feed off their fear. Harry had his eyes closed and had nothing in mind but winning the Quidditch Cup.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he shouted and the silvery stag ran from his wand to the Dementor, who left the car. The stag ran out after it as it dematerialised. Harry watched it wistfully for a bit, then feeling a bit light headed put a hand to his temple and sat down.

"What was that silvery thing?" stuttered Malfoy.

"I could show you again, but it just might kill you," said Harry, and he was being serious.

Malfoy and Co. left just as Ginny came in from the other door.

"Have they searched you too?" she said wiping her eyes.

"Mm hmm," the car mumbled.

"Why are they searching us again?"

"I dunno, maybe-" Ron started.

"Fudge doesn't listen to Dumbledore anymore, so he sees no reason they shouldn't be searching for Sirius Black," said Harry flatly.

"Why wouldn't Dumbledore want to find Black? I bet he finally found You-Know-Who," Ginny wondered aloud.

Harry struggled to hide his grimace. He Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore were among the very few people who knew that Sirius was innocent. Voldemort and the Death Eaters also knew, but they weren't a very credible source, and it was unlikely that they would reveal the source of their knowledge. Lupin also knew, but no one would take the word of a known werewolf seriously.

"Look, we're here!" said Hermione quickly.

The usual unloading started. Harry, Ron, Hermione, the twins and Ginny headed for the Gryffindor table, Cho to Ravenclaw.

Suddenly Harry felt himself being pulled out of the Great Hall by a fairly strong hand. He made a grab for Ron's and Hermione's robes and at the tug they ran after him. After they were out of the Great Hall, Harry looked to see who was pulling him to see none other than-

"Dobby?" he said in surprise along with Ron and Hermione. "Where are you taking me?"

"Harry Potter must come! He must explain…" Dobby started and then trailed off about the other elves. Harry had learned from experience that it was always best to see exactly what Dobby was talking about before discouraging him and calling his methods crazy. Harry had a feeling he would still think Dobby to be crazy after he knew what was going on, but didn't have the choice of stopping; Dobby had a pretty good arm for an elf, especially one who had probably ironed it at least once.

"He's off his nut," said Ron stoutly as he rushed to follow. Dobby finally stopped at the fruit bowl picture that was the entrance to the kitchens, where the Dumbledore was standing.

"Dobby, I was told that you would have an explanation," Dumbledore prompted.

"The elves! They is not wanting Dobby to be staying! They is refusing to work until Dobby is left!" said Dobby, exceptionally squeakily.

"Ah, and might there be a reason that they do not want to work with you?" asked Dumbledore patiently.

"Never! Dobby is never being like they says! Harry Potter can tell Professor so!" said Dobby desperately.

Suddenly the presence of Harry, Ron and Hermione made sense to them and Dumbledore.

"Run along for a bit Dobby. I'd like a word with the three of you," said Dumbledore a bit conclusively.

Dobby left and Dumbledore sighed, as he was humoured.

"Now Harry, students generally beg for food from the elves, not worry about their welfare," he began. "Yes, I know it seems that Dobby is more interested in your welfare, but this could potentially lead to some rebellious natures."

"But Professor, it does seem they get a rather raw deal," Hermione protested gently.

Harry and Ron held their breath hoping Hermione wouldn't bring up the memories of S.P.E.W. Dumbledore merely smiled.

"It does seem that way, but it is the way the elves like it, except for Dobby. Even he doesn't like too much freedom," he said, his eyes twinkling.

Hermione didn't dare argue with the headmaster. Harry and Ron breathed again. The picture opened and another elf that looked strangely familiar walked out.

"Professor, Winky is thinking Dobby is not being bad all times. It is just being when he be bragging about his 'famous Harry Potter,'" she said and curtseyed to Harry.

"Thank you, Winky. You may tell the other elves that I will be having a talk with Dobby promptly," said Dumbledore, his smile widening.  
Winky returned to the kitchen.

"Is that the same Winky?" asked Hermione.

"Why, yes! She has made considerable progress over the summer, wouldn't you say?" replied Dumbledore brightly, and continued. "I don't think you will mind greatly, but I will have to forbid Dobby from talking about you, Harry. If he does continue bragging, I will need to stop him from seeing you. Please be forewarned."

"How will you stop him? Is there a spell or-" said Hermione quickly sounding quite alarmed. Harry and Ron held their breath again.

"There are spells, Miss Granger, but I prefer simply to talk to them first and use the spells as a last resort," said Dumbledore. The threesome breathed out a breath of relief.

"You may return to the feast now- I'm afraid you've missed the sorting once again."

Harry, Ron and Hermione left the kitchens and started for the Great Hall once again. As soon as they were out of earshot, the trio broke into laughter. Hermione was the first to recover her many wits.

"I think Dumbledore would join S.P.E.W. if only I change a few bylaws…" Hermione started. Ron clapped a hand over her mouth.

"Hermione, people don't like being told how to treat their elves, believe me," Ron said.

"Well his methods seemed to work on Winky. Didn't you see how happy she seemed? And it looks like she's made friends with Dobby!"

"Oh I can see it now- Hogwarts Made Us Co-workers, but Prozac Made Us Friends: The touching story of two House Elves and an anti-depressant. Tonight on the WWN," Harry said sarcastically as they re-entered the Great Hall. Hermione smiled.

"Harry, where'd you all go? You missed the sorting!" said Colin in his usual peppy manner.

"I always miss the sorting, Colin, it a curse," Harry murmured derisively as he dragged Ron and Hermione to the other end of the table.

"It is? Which one?"

Dumbledore got up to give his usual beginning-of-term speech, which turned out to be quite different.

"This year promises to be quite interesting. As most of you know or may have heard, Lord Voldemort" the hall flinched "returned at the end of last year."

The entire first year gasped.

Dumbledore continued, "There had been signs that he was getting stronger all year, and he made his début by abducting two Tri-Wizard tournament champions after the last task. One barely escaped, the other was killed.

"Due to the circumstances, there are some new rules. Any student third year or below is to be in their House after dinner. No one is to be outside after dinner. For anyone who knows the charm for unlocking doors, please keep in mind that the locked doors in this castle are locked for a reason. You would be wise to have a reason for being in any place you are found, for you may be asked to explain your whereabouts. I will remind a few persons that the Forbidden Forest is, as its name suggests, forbidden."

Dumbledore looked straight at Harry, Ron and Hermione after the rules. They were well known for wandering the corridors long after the old curfew and visiting Hagrid after hours.

"There is an exception to any of the ground rules," Dumbledore continued, seeing the disappointed faces throughout the Great Hall. "If any student of any year has a staff member with them, they may go anywhere they please at any time."

The faces in the Hall didn't think that was very good news. Dumbledore however, wasn't finished.

"There is some more information I wish you to know. You may or may not know of Sirius Black and Peter Pettigrew, but what ever you know, forget it. Sirius is innocent and Pettigrew was not murdered but lived 12 years as a rat before returning to Voldemort. Sirius escaped Azkaban because he thought his godson was in danger from Pettigrew. Black among others will be in and out all year, so don't be alarmed at them."

Harry, far from alarmed, was overjoyed.

"Here's to a great term!" Dumbledore toasted.

After the feast Harry and the Weasleys set off for the Gryffindor Tower, helping the first years and Neville out of the trick steps all the way. Unfortunately, the prefect meeting seemed to be running late, for no one knew the password.

"Password?" called Ron. It echoed around the corridor.

"Well don't ask me," the Fat Lady said huffily and turned back to her book. Everyone gave her a look of exasperation. The prefects appeared at the end of the hall.

"Sorry, they forgot to pull us out before the speech," a seventh year explained.

"Password's Butterfly Jelly," said Hermione.

"Oh fine, interrupt me twice in five minutes. Don't care that I'm at the best part of my novel!" whined the Fat Lady.

"Tell me, is a romance novel really appropriate for a school setting?" asked Fred in his Percy-like voice.

"Especially around the children?" added George in Percy's sever whispered as he pulled forward Dennis Creevey in mid-giggling fit. Harry, Ron and Hermione climbed through the portrait hole, past the twins in mid lecture and rushed to get the squishy armchairs by the fire. Hermione pulled up a footstool and sank into an uncharacteristic slouch.

"Hermione, are you a prefect?" Ron realized suddenly.

Hermione nodded her head and her face gave the impression that the topics discussed in the meeting were overwhelming her a bit.

"Rough day, madam dictator?" he said sarcastically.

"Oh shut up."

"Hey, that means you get the password to the prefect bathroom on the 5th floor…" Harry realized. Cedric had given him the password last year and Harry still thought it would almost be worth it to be a prefect just for that bathroom.

"What other prefect stuff do you know?" asked Ron with sudden sweetness.

"Not much yet, but just because I will later doesn't mean I'm telling either of you anything," Hermione snapped.

"Better be on our best behaviour around Madam Dictator," Ron pretended to whisper to Harry, who had just experienced a revelation.

"You're not going to tell about my dad's map, are you?" he said anxiously.

Hermione considered it for a moment, and then replied, "I think Lupin told Dumbledore about the map when he explained about the Animagus part, but use it wisely."

"Can't you tell us any of your prefect knowledge?" pleaded Ron impatiently.

"Yes, Professor McGonagall is at the Portrait Hole to discuss You-Know-Who's return.

Sure enough, there she was, gathering the students by the hearth. Though she was the head of the house, seeing Professor McGonagall in the Common Room was either the sign of serious circumstances or a late night victory party gone out of hand.

"Over here, students. Professor Dumbledore has asked us to discuss some issues about You-Know-Who's return specific to the houses," she began.

"I first of all must ask you to take his return and the new rules seriously. Most of you aren't old enough to remember much of what it was like when he was at large, but you may get a chance to see that this year. You-Know-Who values the 'purity' of blood very highly, and is among those who believe muggle-borns and half-bloods are second-class compared to full-blood wizards. Our own Miss Granger is one of many who prove that belief completely false. Unfortunately, You-Know-Who thinks that even a full-blood that likes muggle-borns is second-class also, meaning that he has set himself against most of Hogwarts except for the Slytherins. You may have noticed that the largest rivalry in this school is between Gryffindor and Slytherin. You-Know-Who being a former Slytherin puts all of you at an even greater risk."

Professor McGonagall seemed like she wasn't sure if she should continue, but did anyway.

"There is reason to believe that some of the parents of the Slytherins are among the Death Eaters, but a firm belief at this school is that people should not be judged on what they are born as, but what they grow to be. I advise you still to watch what you say around the other houses."

"Should we also be careful around Professor Snape?" asked Colin Creevey.

"Professor Snape would not be on this staff and head of a house if Professor Dumbledore could not trust him with his life," she said shortly as though there was more to that story that she refused to tell. "That is all for now, I will go into greater detail if the time calls. Now if I may meet with the Quidditch team?"

The rest of the Gryffindors mulled about to the other side of the Common Room or to their beds but Harry (seeker), the Weasley twins (beaters), Katie Bell and Alicia Spinnet (chasers).

"You all know we need a captain, a Chaser and a Keeper. Is one of you interested in the position of captain?"

Silence took over, and then-

"I'll do it," said Katie. "We lose Alicia after only two years, Harry's got enough to deal with, and something tells me I don't want to see Fred or George run a practice."

Harry smiled at her sympathetically; the twins smiled proudly.

"She's got a point," said Alicia, amused at the twins as usual.

"I could use help in picking new players, though" she said

"I'll leave it to you five then," said McGonagall and left.

"I don't want to schedule practice until after we know our timetables, just so no one has practise and double classes on the same day. And no more late night practices because there's no point in practising if you can't even see the Quaffle," Katie explained.

"Sounds good," the team agreed.

"All right then, see you all tomorrow," said Harry and they all went their separate ways to their dorms.

Harry walked in to find his roommates decorating. Dean and Seamus were tacking up Dean's poster of the West Ham football team, whereas Ron was tacking up Krum's autograph.

"Weren't you just lecturing Hermione about writing to Krum, and here you've got his autograph on display?" said Harry in mock disapproval. Ron threw a smirk in Harry's direction.

"What's new in the world of Hogwarts Quidditch?" he asked.

"Katie's captain," said Harry.

"What players do you need?"

"Keeper and Chaser. You play either of those?" said Harry, hoping they wouldn't have to look far for the new players.

"Yeah, but not very well, ask Fred and George," said Ron, cringing at the memory.

"I think Katie wants occasional open practices; in past years everyone complained to her that they didn't know what we play like before the placed their bets. Open to Gryffindors, that is," Harry speculated.

"Will Cho become an honorary Gryffindor?" asked Ron with tone to match his smirk.

"No you idiot, she's on the- how did you…" Harry started and stopped.

"Who's Cho?" asked Dean mischievously.

"6th year Ravenclaw," said Ron before Harry could deny.

"How did you…" Harry repeated as he felt himself go beet red.

"I cannot reveal my sources," said Ron chuckling.

"Older women, Harry?" Seamus joined in.

Harry went to his trunk, pulled out three of pairs of tightly rolled socks and chucked them at Ron, Dean and Seamus.

Neville had now found his voice again and said, "Better not let Rita Skeeter catch this one, Harry."

Harry found one more pair of socks and chucked it in Neville's general direction. Unfortunately for Neville, Harry had good aim, and it was the pair of socks Harry kept his pocket sneak-o-scope from Ron in. Neville threw the sneak-o-scope into the middle of the room and it landed by Dean. Suddenly, the sneak-o-scope exploded with noise.

"What the heck is that?" Dean shouted.

"Turn it off!" Ron yelled.

"HOW?" Harry yelled back.

"WINDOW!" Ron replied even louder.

Harry picked it up and threw it out the window. He turned away from the window triumphantly until there was a loud thrashing sound. All five boys ran to the window and saw that the sneak-o-scope had landed by the Whomping Willow.

"So Dean, what's the secret?" Harry said and explained further what it did at the confused looks he was getting.  
"Katie Bell, that's what! He hasn't told us how much he loves her," Seamus taunted.

"Trust me Dean, she's looking for something that's not you," said Harry as though he had a lot of knowledge on the subject.

"I don't care if she just uses me…" Dean trailed.

"The question is if Harry cares if Cho uses him," teased Seamus.

"Why do you care?" asked Harry flatly.

""Why don't you?" asked Ron.

"Oh great. Side with him! …Stop looking at me like that!" Harry complained.

"Well, does she fancy you?" demanded Ron.

"I really don't care, and I'm partly responsible for her old boyfriend's death," Harry stated firmly, though the same question popped up in his mind.

"Right. Now really," doubted Ron.

"If you're so interested, ask her yourself," said Harry finally.

"I will, and I'll ask the same of He-" Dean started, but was stopped by Ron and Seamus jumping on him. They whispered something and all Harry caught was "YOU IDIOT!" He walked over to the pile that was his roommates.

"Care to share with the class?" he asked sarcastically.

"Inside joke," they all replied.

"Tell me."

"You'll hear in time, just not from us," said Ron, choosing his words carefully. Harry groaned.

"I'm going to bed."


	5. Warnings, Suprises and the Phoenix Song

Chapter 5: Warnings, Surprises, and the Phoenix Song

"Argh! Crookshanks, get off!" shouted Ron sleepily. Harry looked over to see Crookshanks standing on him eating a spider. Crookshanks jumped off Ron and left, most likely to Hermione for breakfast.

"Will she ever learn to keep that cat out of here?" he said irritably.

"It's not like you still have a pet rat. Besides, it's a cat; it goes where it wants. Where are-" replied Harry and was cut off by Ron.

"Dean, Seamus and Neville?" Ron finished for him. "Went to breakfast early. Dean went to see Katie, Seamus to spy, Neville to get there before the first years. Let's head down."

Harry pulled on his robes and followed Ron downstairs to the common room where Hermione sat with her nose deep inside (what else?) a book.

"Planning on breakfast?" asked Ron sarcastically.

Hermione slammed A Prefect's Guide to Everything shut.

"Why wouldn't I be? I was down here an hour ago but decided to wait for you two, alright?" replied Hermione and forced a smile.

"Whatever," Ron shrugged. 

Seeing Hermione's exasperated look, Harry said, "At least you got some reading done."

Hermione was still glaring at Ron.

"What is it with you two?" added Harry.

"Harry, she's a prefect!" said Ron pleadingly.

"Oh is that it? It's not as easy as you make it out to be!" Hermione defended.

"Percy did it!" said Ron confidently.

"Percy got better marks that you too," reminded Hermione.

"Shut up."

"Nice comeback. Can we go to breakfast in peace now?"

"Quick, I think I hear the Creeveys," said Harry and ducked behind the portrait, as it swung open. Unfortunately for Harry, nothing could fool the Creeveys. He only escaped when one of their friends dragged them away.

"Now honestly, they aren't that bad," said Hermione chuckling.

"Nope, they met Ginny," Ron corrected.

Harry imitated throwing another pair of socks at them and they left for the Great Hall, arriving just in time to be nearly run over by a screaming Malfoy.

"RUN, Potter, the Dementors are coming!" he shouted. Crabbe and Goyle came puffing along behind.

"Uncanny impression of yourself, Malfoy. If that's your reaction with your memories I'd had to see what you'd do with mine," smirked Harry. "Did I say hate? I meant relish."

"You just wait, Potter!" shouted Malfoy and walked through Harry, Ron and Hermione as Crabbe and Goyle shoved them aside.

"Harry, don't let him get to you," reminded Hermione.

"You'd be cursing him by now if you weren't a prefect," teased Harry as they sat down. Ron and Hermione seemed to be trying to burn holes in each other's faces; they had sour looks on their faces and unblinking eye contact.

"I would not, he's not worth the effort, though it would do him good…" smirked Hermione.

"He is such a-" started Ron.

"To bad he's right," Harry cut off Ron's cuss as they sat down. He explained further at their looks of confusion, though still weren't breaking eye contact. "If Dumbledore and Fudge aren't working together, who knows what Fudge has planned? He got  
Dementors on the train, they could be guarding the school next- maybe the corridors."

"They may not agree, but Fudge still respects Dumbledore. They scare the students and there's no way Dumbledore'll let a Dementor over the threshold," said Hermione unsurely. Her hand shook as she poured her drink, spraying the table with bits of apple juice.

"Hermione, even so, do the words Patronus Charm mean anything to you?" groaned Ron. He didn't seem to care that he'd knocked over a few rolls.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Harry is the only student in the school that can do that charm. Plus, does the word Azkaban mean anything to you? If Dumbledore allowed anyone to perform that charm he could be sent to Azkaban for harassing the Dementors. That's what they told us anyway," Hermione explained irritably as she buttered her goblet and set it in the apple juice that spilled out of it.

"So they are coming, and you didn't tell us!" Ron accused, spilling Harry's milk as he pointed vigorously. A look of enraged fear came over Hermione as she drowned her pancakes in more syrup than usual. 

"I didn't say that, even if it's true. You'll hear later, and it's just a possibility" she said quietly.

"Why couldn't you have told us earlier?" demanded Ron.

"There are things I can't tell you, Ron."

"So does Harry know?"

"I can't tell Harry either and even if I could he'd just tell you!"

"Hey!" Harry objected, without adding to the mess.

"Wouldn't you?" asked Hermione.

Harry thought a minute.

"See?"

Harry found it quite amusing that neither Ron nor Hermione had noticed the state the table was in. He wasn't about to tell them either; pointing out the obvious to them when "debating" just seemed like tickling a sleeping dragon.

"Well, prefect of infinite knowledge, do you know the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher who still hasn't shown or can't you tell us that?" asked Ron.

"You mean the one standing behind you?" Harry broke in as Ron was engulfed in a familiar shadow. Ron turned around to see none other than-

"Professor Lupin?" Hermione exclaimed in shock, finally knocking the entire fruit basket over, that is she would have if Harry hadn't grabbed it away just in time. Lupin grinned briefly at Harry, who grinned back.

"The one and only," he replied. He looked a bit run down as usual.

"I thought you said it was too dangerous to stay on," recalled Hermione.

"Professor Dumbledore contacted me this summer and asked me to return, and literally wouldn't take no for an answer. Just like my days at Hogwarts, not a lot of students actually told their parents the true reason I resigned, except for that Malfoy character… Sirius and I have put aside the personal differences we have with Snape for now."

Harry, Ron and Hermione's eye's narrowed and looks of loathing came over their faces at the mention of Malfoy and Snape. Lupin chuckled.

"So who will be teaching when you're a-" asked Ron, but Harry slapped a hand over his mouth before he could say "werewolf," for Lupin's eyes had gotten big and he'd started shaking his head and waving his hands.

"The first and second years don't need to know yet," he said, relieved. "Snape will be in for me when needed, when he can."

Harry, Ron and Hermione groaned painfully.

"But Professor, last time he was in he took points from Gryffindor because Hermione answered his questions correctly!" Harry brought to mind.

"It may not always be Snape. Dumbledore gave all of us specifics to do now that Voldemort is back, and Snape's may occasionally take him from Hogwarts. I don't know who else might teach. And," Lupin now had a tone resembling disapproval and a look to match. "I believe you three know exactly why it is Snape who will be in for me."

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded reluctantly and solemnly. Snape, though trusted by Dumbledore, had a sense about him that made many think him evil. He actually had been a Death Eater once, but for reasons only known to Dumbledore, had left Voldemort and turned spy.

"I believe I'll see you three after breakfast," said Lupin, breaking Harry's train of thought. Harry made a mental note to talk to Lupin about the dream.

"What the hell is that doing back here?" said Malfoy from behind them.

"That was our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Constant vigilance, Malfoy," said Harry as he turned around to face Malfoy. Ron leaned over the table (into the mess) trying to look intimidating. Some how, Malfoy didn't notice the mess either.

"But it's not human! Dumbledore sacked him! Wait until I speak to Snape! When my father-" he fumed.

"Lupin wasn't sacked, he resigned. Snape already knows, and you're father doesn't have any legal means of getting rid of him. Care to share with the class, Malfoy?" said Hermione, speaking over her shoulder.

"Why would I tell a Mudblood like you?" said Malfoy curtly.

Hermione's triumphant look hardened in hurt.

"Don't know, why would you tell her when you probably don't even know yourself?" said Ron spontaneously. Harry and Hermione both turned suddenly at his sudden change in attitude.

"Of course I know how my father goes about his business! How could I not know how he-" Malfoy defended, but stopped suddenly.

"Yes?" Harry, Ron and Hermione chorused in unison, leaning forward just a bit.

"It's none of-"

"Then shut up!" said Ron and before Malfoy could finish he chucked an apple at him. It 'magically' landed in Malfoy's open mouth. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle left for their table while Harry, Ron and Hermione turned back to theirs.

"Hey, how did-" started Ron, seeing the mess.

"Let's get to Defence Against the Dark Arts, I want to see what we're studying this year," said Harry. Ron and Hermione followed him out the door looking back at their mess. They met Professor Lupin en route.

"Well, I understand that Moody, or Crouch as he may be more accurately called, taught you about the Unforgivable Curses," said Lupin when Hermione asked about the coming year.

"I'll never forget that," mumbled Harry.

"How exactly did he teach?" asked Lupin. "I heard that his ways were a bit eccentric, but no one went into specifics."

"No wonder. He put the Imperious Curse on us.

Lupin stifled a gasp.

"I think he was seriously considering putting the Crucius Curse on us," recalled Harry grimly.

"He put it on you?" sputtered Lupin.

"He wanted us to fight, and insisted on putting it on Harry till he could throw it off entirely," explained Ron. Harry's eyes rolled automatically at the memory; Hermione's hand moved to the place a nasty bruise had been.

"Did Dumbledore know?"

"Don't know, but it actually helped me for, you know, later…" started Harry, but didn't have the will to finish. "Professor, why would he do that? That's one less curse Voldemort" Ron and Hermione flinched "can use on me- how does that help him?"

"The Dark Lord works in mysterious ways," replied Lupin irritably. "Voldemort's" flinch "methods are as unpredictable to me as they are to his followers. My guess is as good as yours."

When they reached class, Ron and Hermione went right in, but Harry asked Lupin to wait a minute.

"Professor, I had another one of those window-of-reality type dreams about Voldemort over the summer, but I still don't understand a part. I was hoping you could help me interpret it," he asked.

"Well, for the record I must say that Professor Trelawny would have more expertise at this sort of thing, but off the record well- you know how she is," started Lupin. Harry smiled weakly.

"Hermione might murder me if I ask Professor Trelawny for help," he said. Lupin chuckled.

"But anyways, my dream ended with a werewolf and a big black dog breaking up a meeting of Voldemort and the Death Eaters. I'm fairly certain it was you and Sirius. Was I really dreaming that part?"

"That wasn't by chance the 30th of last month?" asked Lupin. Harry nodded. "Yes, come to think of it! Do you remember what they were talking about?"

Harry couldn't bring himself to say, "they were plotting to kill me again," so he just shook his head. The rest of the class was starting to appear, so Lupin told Harry they'd finish after class. They filed in after the rest of the class and Harry took a seat in front with Ron and Hermione. He told them that he needed to ask Lupin about Hinkypunks, and they thought nothing more of it. The bell rang, and Lupin cleared his throat as he stepped up to the front of his class.

"Oh it's nice to see these faces again," he started.

"Professor Lupin?" exclaimed the class in disbelief.

"Yes, I'm back. Professor Dumbledore didn't make a big introduction thinking it best if I was seen first in class rather than in the Great Hall," said Lupin. He sat back on his desk in a relaxed manner.

"This year, circumstances being what they are, we'll be continuing on the topics of last year. You will be learning to protect yourself from Voldemort" flinch "in most of your classes, but this one specifically. I understand that quote-unquote Moody had some- er, unconventional methods of teaching-"

"You could say that again!" said Seamus. Lupin smiled.

"I plan to review- without putting you under it, don't worry Seamus- and then move on to another subject you need to understand."

"What is it, Professor?" said Lavender spontaneously.

"Foul play," replied Lupin. "The Dark Lord is not a just person, even one who has never met him could tell you that. I have even considered reopening the duelling club to prepare you for the way Voldemort duels."

The class backed away slightly from Lupin at the mention or the Duelling Club. A few glanced at Harry, who cautiously raised a hand.

"Professor, who would be assisting you in the running of the club?" he asked carefully.

"Well, I've heard that Professor Snape was a good dueller – there's no need to be frightened, Parvati – but we have some differences in opinion that might cause some problems in the club."

Harry could see that Lupin was forcing a straight face and trying not to show his utter dislike of Snape. True, Harry thought Snape had reason to be angry at the time of Sirius's prank, but nearly killing someone for a schoolboy swindle seemed awfully stupid.

Lupin hopped off his desk almost playfully and walked around to the board. He turned to the board and spoke to them over his shoulder as he did something to the chalk.

"The first thing we will cover, however, is a simple thing that may take all year. I am talking of course, about saying the name Voldemort," said Lupin as he turned around dramatically with a mischievous look on his face. The class except for Harry shrank back.

"Oh come now, you're all sensible enough to call him by his chosen name-"

"Don't you mean given name?" Dean asked.

"Oh no, his given name is Tom Marvolo Riddle." Lupin drew out the letters as the memory of Riddle had done in the Chamber of Secrets. "When rearranged" he waved his wand "it spells Voldemort." Minor flinch. "But enough of that, the fear of a name increases the fear of the thing the name names. So in other words, every time you use the phrase 'You-Know-Who' or 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,' you're helping him. In this classroom, you will call him VOLDEMORT!" Lupin waved his wand once again and the chalk zoomed across the board writing VOLDEMORT in large letters across the board. The class except Harry jumped a foot out of their seats. Lupin chuckled.

"You're enjoying this torture far to much, Professor," said Harry smirking.

For the next half hour Lupin led the class discussion to comfortable subjects such as Quidditch, other lessons, Quidditch, sweets, and Quidditch, only to spontaneously say the word "Voldemort." Harry joined in on the surprises too, and the jumps became less and less as the number of times the name was said increased. All too soon (as far as Harry was concerned) the bell rang and they moved on. Harry, however, stayed to discuss his dream.

"So Harry, whom could you make out?" asked Lupin.

"Let's see, there was Wormtail, Macnair, and I think Lucius Malfoy. I think it might have been wishful thinking, but I saw you slip the bite to him- could you tell who anyone was?" replied Harry.

"No, when I'm like that, any human will do… Normally that would be enough to condemn those accused, but thanks to Rita Skeeter there's no hope," said Lupin grimly.

"Hermione can tell you things about Rita Skeeter; she figured out how Rita got all her stories and interviews with Slytherins while banned from the grounds," said Harry mischievously.

"I'll have to ask Hermione about that. Harry, before you go, I want to ask you one more thing," Lupin called as Harry turned to leave.

"The cloak and map?" Harry asked guiltily.

"I'm only asking that you abide by the rules. I know, pretty rich coming from me, but-"

"I understand." Harry bid goodbye to Professor Lupin and ran to catch his classmates. He told Ron and Hermione what he had been told about the cloak and map, but not his dream.

"I think everyone's afraid Voldemort's going to come after me," he finished.

"Are you nutters? You're as bad as Lupin! Stop saying the name!" said Ron. He hadn't adjusted to the name saying as well as others had.

"You know the last time Hagrid said that to me I shouted it for the whole hospital wing to hear?" said Harry mildly.

"Yes, but he's back now, it's different," Hermione broke in. She had taken to the name better than some, but still didn't like it.

"Why should it be? You just keep scaring yourself more- heck, I say the name and now he's not even the thing that scares me most," said Harry.

"Huh?" said both Ron and Hermione.

"The boggarts turn to Dementors for me," explained Harry.

"Why?" asked Ron, though Hermione seemed to understand.

"I think it's because no one can do anything for my parents, but there's possibility for Voldemort's downfall," Harry guessed.  
Ron still looked confused.

"Voldemort could be caught any day, but I have to live with my parents' fates forever," Harry tried again, each try getting more painful. Hermione seemed to notice.

"Malfoy might disappear out of your life someday but you'll always be related to Percy," she said.

Ron understood perfectly. Harry gave Hermione a look of gratitude that she returned with a soft smile.

After lunch (much cleaner than breakfast) the Gryffindors headed outside for Care of Magical Creatures.

"Wonder what we'll have this year, anyone for a Chimera?" said Ron to anyone listening.

"Childish, Weasley," groaned a drawling voice from behind.

"Shove off, Malfoy, none of us care what you think," replied Hermione without turning around.

"I didn't ask for a Mudblood's comments."

"I wouldn't expect better from you out of respect for prefects, but do remember that I can take any number points from Slytherin at will," said Hermione conclusively.

"You're not the only new prefect, Granger," said Malfoy mischievously.

Hermione stunted to a halt with a look of exasperation. She turned slowly on the spot only to see Malfoy sporting a prefect badge.

"H-how did you get to be a prefect? Your grades are lower than your I.Q.!" she sputtered.

"Highest in the year in my house," he continued pompously, missing the insult.

"And that's something to brag about," said Ron sarcastically.

"You finally did something on your own without a threat involving your father?" added Harry. He and Ron gave a gold clap. Malfoy threw them a dark look and Harry got a slight pain in his scar.

"But they have to be able to trust the prefects with important stuff, and I wouldn't trust you with a used tissue!" Hermione continued.

"Well, apparently your character perception is as bad as your ancestry. To revive your memory, my family was cleared years ago."

"What have you been told by the staff about anti-You-Know-Who things?" asked Hermione slyly.

"Nothing, stupid, they don't tell students anything," said Malfoy.

"Oh, right," replied Hermione. She turned back around to hide her glee. "They already told us everything, he isn't hearing any of it," she explained. By now they had reached Hagrid's hut, but there was no Hagrid in sight.

"Where's the savage?" asked Malfoy curtly. He didn't notice that he was being enveloped in a very large shadow of a wild looking man. The Slytherins were pointing wildly trying to be discreet; the Gryffindors were doubled over in laughter.

"What?" said Malfoy.

"If yeh mean Th' Magical Creatures," Hagrid's booming voice said from behind Malfoy. "He'll be here in a minute. If yeh mean anyone else, yeh can spend extra time with me in detention."

Malfoy shrunk an inch and went to the back of the group with the rest of the Slytherins.

"Now, as I'm sure yeh've all heard, this year yeh're learnin' things to prepare yeh fer meetin' the Dark Lord," Hagrid continued, sending a sympathetic look towards Harry. "There are many creatures yeh'll learn defence from, but most 'a them fall under Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ah, here's our Magical Creature!"

The class turned to look at where Hagrid was pointing and saw a large crimson dot approaching. It was flying too fast to see what it was until it landed on Hagrid's arm that Harry recognized it.

"Hagrid, it that Fawkes?" he asked.

"Sure is," replied Hagrid.

"What is it?" asked Malfoy as he tried to suppress his interest.

"This, Malfoy, is a Phoenix, Dumbledore's to be specific."

"Only a Mudblood lover would want one of those," muttered Malfoy to the Slytherins. Hagrid chose not to respond. Harry, though fuming, restrained (for the moment) from strangling Malfoy. Fawkes, on the other hand, seemed to have perceived their feelings and being a bird could act without being held responsible for his actions. Harry could have sworn that the bird winked at him before taking off and flying straight at Malfoy's head, swooping out of the way just in time. Fawkes flew back towards Hagrid, but landed on Harry's shoulder. (Fawkes was surprisingly light for the grand bird he was.) Malfoy, unfortunately, saw Fawkes's little joke as a deliberate attempt on his life.

"That stupid bird attacked me! Just like that dumb Hippogriff!" he shouted.

"Insulting a Hippogriff, even when it's not present is still risky business, Malfoy," said Hagrid mysteriously. Fawkes seemed to agree and as he began the Phoenix song. It seemed like a group smile and look of bliss spread across the Gryffindors' faces; the Slytherins covered their ears and shouted in protest, especially Malfoy.

_Not a pleasant lot, are they?_

Harry did a double take and looked for the source of this unfamiliar voice, but it couldn't have been a voice- could it? The idea had just appeared in his head, and yet he'd heard it speak in a familiar voice. He looked over at Fawkes on his shoulder, who was smiling at him. But birds don't have lips…

_You've grown over the summer, haven't you? How's that leg?_

Harry knew it was coming from Fawkes this time, but how? It was like Parseltoungue, but this was Fawkes.  
Harry came out of his train of thought when Hermione snapped her fingers in front of his face.

"Going to join the living today?" she asked.

The music had stopped and the Slytherins were recovering (darn). Harry looked onto his shoulder, but Fawkes had fluttered back to Hagrid, who was smiling at Harry.

"Seems that Fawkes has taken a likin' to yeh, Harry," he said.

_He's right, I have._

Harry jumped slightly at the voice; the Slytherins covered their ears again.

"I guess he has," Harry replied.

Hagrid went on to explain how the Phoenix rises from the ashes anew; magical powers and properties of its tears, but Harry didn't listen until Hagrid stared on about the Phoenix song.

"Even more prized than their tears it the Phoenix's song. It is th' sound o' hope to the pure at heart, and th' sound o' fear to- others," he explained. Harry thought Hagrid had wanted to say "the impure at heart," but seeing the Slytherins' reaction thought better of it.

Harry Ron and Hermione returned to the Common Room only to find Fred and George offering "induction sweets" to unsuspecting First Years.

"Ah, these are famous all through the school! The elves in the kitchens have been begging for the recipe for years, but it's a secret! Harry, Ron, Hermione! Aren't these Can- er, Custard Creams famous?" said George.

"Notorious is more like it," replied Harry.

"Neville would beg to differ," replied Hermione.

"So would I!" said Ron indignantly.

"But aren't they tasty?" said Fred temptingly.

"Sure they are, Fred, sure they are," said Harry and they started up the spiral staircases. They ran back down as they heard clucking instead of a canary.

"Mystery Creams!" said George, as they turned back into themselves. "We don't even know what you might turn into!"

"What do you think you're playing at?" shouted the first years.

"If you learn nothing else at Hogwarts, remember not to accept food from any type from these two," said Hermione and the first years ran off dormitories.

Harry, Ron and Hermione rushed off arriving just in time. Professor McGonagall's tight bun looked rather tighter than usual, which was never a good sign.

"Before we begin, I must warn all of you, this year will be most unlike any other. Professor Dumbledore has many more limitations on his time, and it would be nice if he didn't have to busy himself further with disciplinary measures," she said to start class. Her eyes darted toward Harry and Ron, who had guilty expressions on their faces.

Professor McGonagall started explaining the syllabus, containing mostly of Animagi Study. They had briefly looked at Animagi in 3rd year, but this time McGonagall hinted about "4 previously unknown and unregistered Animagi."  
Harry put his head down on his desk, for he knew all 4 Animagi, and 1 had been his father. Professor McGonagall only named Pettigrew and told of how the ability helped him hide for 12 years before returning. Harry, already knowing that part and not wishing to remember, took to daydreaming, mostly about Cho. At the end of class, after setting them piles of homework, Professor McGonagall had another piece of "happy" information for them.

"I highly suggest that you start studying for your O.W.L.s, as they will be taken at the end of this year," she said.

"They're ages away!" Seamus shouted in outrage.

"Ages will turn to hours in no time, Finnigan, and-"

But then the bell rang, cutting her off, and the class rushed out.

"C'mon, we need to stop in the library before dinner," said Hermione.

"We?" said Ron indignantly.

"Don't you want to know what I just thought of?" she snapped.

"No," said Harry and Ron, and Hermione stormed off.

"Brilliant, but mental," groaned Ron and they set off for dinner. Harry was staring out windows as they passed them, and out of one he saw a large black dog prowling along side the castle heading toward the statues of the winged boars. Harry grabbed Ron's too-small robes and pointed this out to him. They set off in a run for the Entrance Hall, but almost ran headlong into Snape.

"Potter, Weasley, where's the fire?" he asked lazily.

Harry had a fleeting desire to set Snape's robes on fire, but thought better of it. Snape's sickening curled smile spread across his ugly face.

"I thought so. Let's say 10 points from Gryffindor-"

"We're just hungry!" Ron protested.

"5 more points from Gryffindor for your defiance, Weasley," he said. Harry could tell he was hoping to get 50 points from them before dinner.

"Afternoon, Snape," said Sirius, who had entered the hall and transformed. Snape turned white and whirled around. Harry suspected that he was still tormented by Sirius's innocence.

"Black," he said shortly and stormed into the Great Hall furiously.

"Thanks, Sirius," said Harry grinning.

"Good to see you two," he replied. They heard a noise at the end of the corridor and turned to see Hermione running in their direction with a large book.

"Find what you were looking for?" called Ron.

"Yes, actually," she called back. She was moving with pretty good speed for the heavy load she was carrying.

"What are you here for, Sirius?" asked Harry.

"Business for Dumbledore, of course. I trust he told the school we'll be in and out all year?" Sirius said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded.

"I really should see him straight off," he said. Harry, though reluctant, understood.

They entered the Hall and once again met by Malfoy and his gang of Slytherins (Harry suspected most of their parents were Death Eaters too.)

"Potter, don't tell me you still don't know!" exclaimed Malfoy.

"What, about Sirius and my parents?" said Harry coolly.

"You know and still talk to him? You're dimmer that I thought," drawled Malfoy in mild amusement.

"Malfoy, I flatter myself to know a bit more about my godfather's record tha you," said Harry smugly.

"What are you talking about?" said Malfoy cautiously.

"You heard Dumbledore, Sirius is innocent. It's Pettigrew I'd be worried about," said Harry.

"I want proof before I believe that," spat Malfoy.

"You of all people should know about Pettigrew," replied Harry. Lucius Malfoy had stood next to Wormtail in the Death Eaters' circle at the end of the previous year.

At this point, seeing how worked up Harry was getting over Malfoy, Ron and Hermione dragged Harry off to the Gryffindor table near the Weasley twins and their friend Lee Jordan. Harry was about to start venting about Malfoy, when another visitor distracted him.

"Oliver Wood, what are you doing back here?" exclaimed the twins.

Harry whipped his head around to see if they were joking, but they weren't (for once). Others were doing the same, for Wood was rather popular being that he'd led Gryffindor to its first Quidditch Cup victory since the days of Charlie Weasley.

"What happened to Puddlemore United?" asked Alicia Spinnet.

"Oh, this is time off, so I decided to see how the old team's doing. So who's new captain?" Wood explained.

The rest of the team pointed to Katie, who smiled weakly.

"Will I do?" she asked.

Wood cocked his head with a thoughtful expression and said, "As long as it's not Fred of George we've got a hope," he said at last.

Katie looked as though she would have liked a warmer reply from Wood, whereas the twins pretended to be hurt though they looked more like overdramatic Spanish soap opera actors.

"What do you mean 'we' have a hope?" asked Harry suspiciously.

"I'll always play for Gryffindor at heart," said Wood dreamily.

"Touching," said the Weasley twins in flat voices.

Wood explained all about the experience on Puddlemore United, and the rest of the group told him all about the happenings at Hogwarts. At the mention of the Triwizard Tournament, Harry became, to the rest of the group, surprisingly quiet. Hermione and Ron knew why, and therefore it wasn't surprising to them. Wood seemed to notice though.

"Oh, by the way, Harry, I've been meaning to ask you: what was the third task, and how'd you beat Diggory?" he asked.

The entire group stared into their Sheppard's pie.

"What happened? I've been dying to know all summer!" Wood coaxed.

Harry and the others gulped at the mention of "dying". Ron and Hermione side glanced Harry; they were the only people aside from Sirius and Dumbledore (and probably Lupin) who knew and understood the whole story. Harry took an uncomfortable breath and explained about the maze; how his path was unnaturally clear, how Fleur and Krum were taken out of the running, how he and Cedric had argued about who should take the cup. He almost choked on the last words as they came out.

"The cup was a Portkey -it wasn't supposed to be- and it took us to a graveyard, and Cedric was killed by Voldemort," he said.

Wood dropped his fork. Harry took a sip of his pumpkin juice.

Just then, Sirius, Lupin and Dumbledore entered the Harry. There was a sudden silence as every saw Sirius, for most had grown up knowing him as an insane murderer. Harry thought that if he could see Sirius as innocent anyone should be able too, but remained silent. The Slytherin table was exceptionally silent; Malfoy and his gang seemed to be eyeing Sirius threateningly. Sirius threw them a playful smirk and they all became increasingly interested in their puddings. Sirius clapped Harry on the shoulder as he passed. He, Lupin and Dumbledore took seats at the head table. Wood looked strangely between Harry and Sirius as subdued chatter began again.

"Long story, but Sirius is innocent and my godfather," said Harry, his spirits lifted.

Wood shrugged and continued his pie.

Sirius walked with Harry, Ron and Hermione back to the Gryffindor Tower after dinner.

"Any new from the outside world?" asked Harry.

"Well, Fudge is still silencing the Prophet, so the rest of the world knows nothing. If this goes like it did last time, their ignorance won't last long," Sirius replied, with the faintest trace of a growl.

"Have they found Bagman yet?" asked Ron.

"No, and I can't figure out how they're keeping that Skeeter bi-woman silent. This is just her style," said Sirius.

Hermione smiled broadly.

"Oh she won't be writing for a while yet. Did you she was banned from the grounds during the time that she was getting all those interviews with the Slytherins?" she said.

"That complicates things," said Sirius with a confused look.

"Well, turns out she's an unregistered Animagus who can turn into a beetle. I caught her snooping on a window sill," Hermione explained in her element.

"An ugly fat beetle at that," said Harry. "I probably could have checked with the-"

The bottom dropped from Harry's stomach. He had been so focused on other events at the end of the previous year that he'd forgotten to get the Marauder's Map back from the real Moody.

Sirius, Ron and Hermione walked about 5 feet before realizing that Harry had stopped dead.

"Oi! What's the matter?" called Ron.

"The map," croaked Harry. "Crouch took it from me last year so I wouldn't figure him out, and I think Moody still has it in his trunk!"

Ron and Hermione looked rather panicky, but Sirius didn't seem to be worried.

"I have to go round there anyways. I'll stop by Moody's and ask him about it," he said. "In the meantime, I don't want you three wandering about too much."

"Even with the Cloak?" Harry pleaded.

A look from Sirius told Harry that he could live a few weeks without wandering the castle.

"It's not like you'd need to anyway," said Hermione matter-of-factly. Ron scowled behind her back.

By this time they had reached the Portrait of the Fat Lady. Hermione gave the password and climbed through, followed by Ron, but Sirius asked Harry to stay a second and asked him about the dream he'd had.

"Was that the only one of that type you had this summer?" he said.

"Yes, I think so… I had the usual one with the green flash and the cold laugh and the flying motorbike," said Harry.

"Do you know what Hagrid did with that motorbike by chance?" asked Sirius with interest.

"No, he never talked about it," said Harry with an apologetic smile. "Why?"

"Oh, the bike was mine. I hadn't heard from Peter for a while and he was gone with no signs of a struggle when I arrived to check on him that night. I suspicious and left for your house, but I was too late. Hagrid met me there and I told him to take the bike.  
The whole crowd thought I'd been the Secret Keeper and I had no way to prove it was Peter…"

Sirius's expression became hard to read; it always was when he thought about Azkaban. Harry could see that and didn't blame him.

"Somehow I can't see a Dementor knowing what to do with a flying motorbike," he said to lighten the mood. It worked; the Sirius who had attended the Potters' wedding shone through, breaking the glazed look Azkaban had given him, and he was beaming at Harry.

The Portrait hole opened slightly and the Weasley twins poked their heads out.

"Harry, c'mon, team meeting."

Harry said goodbye to Sirius, who transformed and started down the corridor. The reached out and pulled Harry into the Common Room. Just before the Portrait closed, Wood came racing down the corridor and nearly tripped over Sirius.

"Having the team meeting without me, eh?" he called.

"Wood, you're not on the team," said Harry calmly when Wood was closer.

"So? I can still offer help, can't I?" he said.

George gave a false cough that sounded remotely like a rude word. Wood glared at him.

"It's true!" Fred defended.

Wood looked expectantly at Harry, a hint of the old furious pride in his eyes. Harry however, didn't smile.

"There's a fine line between helping us and taking over," said Harry slowly.

Wood wouldn't give up, so the twins and Harry finally gave in. Wood hadn't changed; the manic grin was back with the attitude to match. Katie did bring up open practice as Harry suspected, and Wood surprisingly agreed. He had a lot of suggestions that sounded awfully like taking over, but were helpful nonetheless.

Harry went over to join Ron and Hermione afterward; they'd landed the armchairs by the fire and a table that was buried in Hermione's Transfiguration homework ("It's not due until Thursday!"; "Arithmancy tomorrow!"; "Urg,").

"What was Wood doing here?" asked Ron as he leafed through the copy of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, that he and Harry shared (Ron's fell apart).

"Running the meeting. Katie isn't pleased, and according to Alicia, that's not good," said Harry shortly.

"Is Wood allowed in the houses after finishing?" asked Hermione severely.

"If you find out he isn't, tell Katie. I don't really want to see her mad," said Harry, glancing out of the corner of his eyes at her.

Harry and Ron started a game of Hangman in Fantastic Beasts, though they got bored with that and started leafing through and writing thoroughly biased comments in the margins.

"Childish," they heard Hermione mutter under her breath.

"It's not like it's yours," said Ron.

"Well, while you two were wasting ink, I finished all that Transfiguration homework. Happy reading," said Hermione. She threw her quill down with feeling in an exact imitation of Ron, who scoffed as Harry drew a spider on the title page by Ron's hanged man (Acromantula).

"Hi, Harry! Lookit what I found!" called Collin Creevey as he ran over with his hand marking a page in a large book.

"What is it Collin?" asked Harry with effort.

"I found the curse you told me about! I even found a counter for it!" he said excitedly.

"What cur- oh, that," said Harry seeing what Collin meant. "Collin, 'it's a curse' is a figure of speech."

"I don't remember reading that one," said Hermione, bending her head in a strange way to see the title of the book. "OH, Collin, that's Stultus Conari ad Magicus apud Muggles. Everything in there is an attempt at magic by Muggles."

Ron stuffed his fist in his mouth to hold in a laugh.

"Oh, I couldn't read the title," said Collin. He picked up the book and went over to his corner of friends.

Harry, pretending to be tired, said he was going up to bed early. In reality, he wanted to take advantage of the empty dormitory. He pulled the drapes of his 4-poster bed and opened the photo album Hagrid had given him at the end of his First Year. There were his parents, beaming and waving as usual. For a brief moment, Harry wondered what would happen if he showed the Wizard Pictures of them to the Dursleys; he'd have to try it sometime when he was no longer living with them and they weren't regulating his meals. Harry flipped through the pages and found what he was looking for. He held in a gasp as he recognised the people in the picture he'd flipped past so often. It was the writers of the Marauders' Map, each holding a Hogwarts Diploma. They were smiling and waving, and– it couldn't be, but it was! -A young Severus Snape and his gang of sulking Slytherins sneaking up with their wands out. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs turned around abruptly and hexed them first (James, Sirius and Lupin anyways; Peter got a bad case of Twitchy Ears). Harry chuckled heartily. He couldn't believe how young they all looked, but then realized that they would look much younger than he remembered them; Peter hadn't been a battered pet, Lupin had kept his mind as a werewolf for 3 years, Sirius hadn't been to Azkaban, and James was alive. Even Snape's stomach-churning features were alight with more malice than Harry usually saw. He flipped through the book and drifted off to sleep with the vivid pictures swimming around his mind.


	6. School Days

Chapter 6: School Days

Classes resumed as normal to start with- normal for Hogwarts, that is. All the classes seemed to be geared at Defence Against the Dark Arts and self-defence. Harry, for once, was nearing Hermione for top in year, being that he knew so much about Voldemort already. He almost jumped when Professor Flitwick announced that they would be starting work on the Patronus Charm. Lupin did indeed start the duelling club, and at Dumbledore's request (Harry and Lupin's despair), Snape was present. The malicious glint was almost gone from his eyes; it turned out Lupin was an excellent dueller. Harry, Ron and Hermione got to help in some demonstrations because of all the jinxes they knew from the third task (Malfoy was enraged). Harry successfully used the Impediment Jinx to slow Malfoy to a halt as he was starting what looked like the Tarantella Curse in Harry's direction.  
Quidditch wasn't going as smoothly as planned. Wood was being his old fanatic self and drilling the team harder than ever, even though he was only there temporarily. They scheduled tryouts for the new players early on a Saturday morning. Harry didn't see the point of attending tryouts, but found himself trudging out to the Quidditch pitch before the sun was fully up with his Firebolt anyway. Ron and Hermione followed with their homework and toast.

"Harry, good, you made it," said Katie when he arrived. The Weasley twins showed up a few minutes later, on time for once.  
Wood hadn't arrived yet, but the team didn't want to wait. Katie said they should wait and that they could play around while they waited.

Harry took off and remembered how much he loved flying. The wind ripped past him at amazing speeds. He levelled off and did a few loop-de-loops before switching directions and going into a dive. The Firebolt turned up smoothly at Harry's tough a few inches from the ground, his robes skimming the grass.

A few girls trying out for Chasers were watching Harry, and looked quite nervous. Harry flew down to them smiling.

"Don't worry, I flew a lot worse than that when I made the team," he said. Their faces relaxed slightly. Katie called them all over and explained how the tryouts would run. The first part would consist solely of showing off, and the second would be actual Quidditch play.

"Fred, George, send as many Bludgers toward them as you can toward them- pretend you're the opposing team's Beaters. Harry, dive through them as much as possible. If you really see the Snitch around them in a match, they need to know how to get out of your way," Katie instructed after the kids has taken the pitch. (Fred and George looked like their birthdays and Christmas had come early.)

It turned out that most of the Chasers and Keepers could fly rather well. Only a few fell of their brooms, but Katie and Alicia said that was normal. Harry found himself wishing he'd brought his homework, for Hermione finished everything but Arithmancy.

Half way through the showing off portion of the tryouts, Wood showed up. "I thought you said the tryouts weren't for another half hour!" he said to Alicia.

"Did I?" she said. Harry could tell she had been trying to keep Katie calm. He privately agreed with Katie, but didn't voice his opinion either way. Wood seemed put off, but took a seat by Harry, Hermione and the Weasleys. He kept making comments to Harry about which players he would pick. Harry was rather grateful when Katie called for the team to take the pitch. Fred and George were doing their best to bombard the Chasers and Keepers with a constant shower of Bludgers. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt. Harry had to admit, it was fun to purposely mess up the plays; he just imagined that each one had Malfoy's or Snape's ugly face…

About and hour later, Katie was satisfied, or couldn't take any more of Wood's "help". She dismissed the kids trying out and brought the team her decision. The new Chaser was 3rd year Fiona Craine, and the new Keeper 4th year Gillian Gordon.

"Any news from the Prophet?" Harry asked a quarter of an hour later as they made their way back to the Common Room. He'd seen an owl deliver Hermione's copy.

"No, Fudge won't let them print anything he thinks is connected. The evidence is kicking him in the face and he still ignores it!" said Hermione angrily.

"Nothing from Skeeter either," added Ron. "There was a suspicious looking article about you again, though."  
Harry grabbed the paper and searched it for the article. Upon not finding it, he looked over at Ron, who was sniggering uncontrollably. Harry rolled up the paper and hit him over the head.

"What am I, a dog?" said Ron, rubbing his head that both Harry and Hermione knew didn't really hurt.

"You might be," said Hermione thoughtfully.

Harry and Ron both shot her strange looks.

"Oh wait, that's right, you didn't want to hear about my idea," she said with a strange smile.

"Oh fine, tell us," groaned Harry.

"Well," said Hermione as she looked around the corridor. "Not now, I don't want to be overheard."

Harry looked back and saw the corridors were more crowded than he remembered, especially for a Saturday morning. Whatever Hermione had figured out was apparently very secret.

Before long, the leaves were falling and the rain was pouring. Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures classes were often cancelled on account of the grounds being flooded. Unfortunately for the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Katie was possessed with Wood's manic enthusiasm. Nothing cancelled practice, even pouring rain and 4 feet of standing water on the pitch.

"Wonder if the dungeons will be flooded tomorrow!" said Ron hopefully one a rainy Monday afternoon in Transfiguration.

"Probably are, but you thing Snape'll let a little water cancel one of his classes?" said Hermione. Sure enough the Gryffindors emerged from Potions the next day soaked up to their knees.

Harry didn't let this bother him too much. He was having a great year. They had a good line up in Quidditch and were ready to play in any weather. He was doing well in all his classes (even Divination) and (most of all) there was no news of Voldemort. There was still his dream, but Harry tried to disregard it. It was just a cooky dream that Professor Trelawny would explode over; anything she exploded over wasn't worth his time. Harry was happier than he'd been in months. For once, it looked like he was going to have a normal year. Inevitably, whenever Harry thought himself normal, something always happened to remind him otherwise.

One murky Friday afternoon in mid October during a cancelled Herbology lesson, Harry, Ron and Hermione were among the many students sitting in the Great Hall. Ron was once again beating Harry at Wizards' Chess; Hermione was engrossed in Prefects Who Gained Power.

"Ha, beat you again!" said Ron triumphantly as his knight trampled Harry's king.

"Oh come on, Harry, don't tell me you fell for that again! He beat you that way just last week!" she said.

"Really?" replied Harry dryly. "You give him a proper thrashing then, if you're so smart."

Having nothing else to do, Harry peered at Prefects Who Gained Power while Hermione set up the pieces. It seemed terribly boring to him, and he (through all the cancelled lessons) was done with all his homework. Turning back to the chess game, Harry saw that Ron was indeed winning again. Harry was rather relieved when Professor McGonagall announced the date of the first Hogsmead trip (the next weekend). Ron and Hermione abandoned their game to discuss a route to take around the village.

"Isn't Hogsmead flooded too?" asked Harry.

"No, it's higher than the grounds," replied Hermione. "Hogwarts a History," she explained.

"Let's stop in Honeyduke's first, I need to stock up on sweets so I don't have to beg any from Fred and George- they tricked me into another acid pop over the summer," said Ron.

"Not very quick there, are you?" smirked Harry. Ron glared.

"Zonko's, I assume?" prompted Hermione.

"Yeah… hey, what about a visit to the Shrieking Shack?" replied Ron. Harry and Hermione groaned.

"It really loses the fun when you know the truth-" said Harry.

"What truth?"

Collin Creevey had appeared out of nowhere again.

"N-nothing, Collin. Long running inside joke," Harry muttered in reply.

"I've time, tell me!" he begged.

"No, it's nothing Collin, and you really shouldn't be eavesdropping," said Hermione with a slightly bossy tone to her voice. A beam of light caught her Prefect badge just right and it gleamed brightly. Collin sighed and moved to the other end of the table.

"Thanks," said Harry through gritted teeth.

"So, Shrieking Shack- yes or no?" said Ron grinning broadly.

"Discussing plans for Hogsmead, Potter?" said a strict voice behind Harry. He turned to see Professor McGonagall standing there.

"Yes, Professor," he said innocently. He was innocent for the time being.

"Well, I advise you to plan wisely, Potter. Rumours have been flying," she said.

"I can take care of myself, Professor," replied Harry, fighting the grimace that wanted to spread across his face.

"I am aware of that, Potter," she replied irritably.

"Would you sleep more soundly if I brought my dad's Invisibility Cloak?" asked Harry. He assumed she knew about the Cloak.

"Well, all right. Still be careful, Potter," she said firmly and walked away.

"Honestly, what idiot would do anything to me in Hogsmead? It's filled with out type!" said Harry heatedly.

"You think that matters?" said Hermione in shock. "He'd just get more publicity!"

"Which is exactly what he wants," finished Ron. Somehow it sounded like another rehearsed conversation.

Just then, Hedwig landed in the middle of the table and stuck out her leg for Harry to untie the letter from. She took a sip of his orange juiced before flying off to the Owlry.

"It's Snuffles's reply!" said Harry as he skimmed down to the signature. He read the letter in little more than a whisper.

_Harry,  
Attached is the Marauder's Map, but I haven't checked to see if it's working. Moody found it and is known for authentic curses, so I'm not sure what he did. It was blank when I got it. Lupin should be able to sort it out, though.  
I'm quite skeptical about you going on the Hogsmead trips without the Invisibility Cloak; rumours have been flying about Voldemort's location and most place him around the outskirts of town. Most rumours also originated outside the pubs at closing time. I know better than anyone you can take care of yourself, but be careful all the same.  
Sirius_

"What could Moody do to it that hasn't been done already?" said Harry. "I mean, it spent almost 20 years in Filch's office."

"Just check it's working," said Ron impatiently.

Harry dug out his wand and tapped the map saying, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Instead of the usual Map of Hogwarts appearing, a strange writing did. Harry recognised it at once and stuffed his fist in his mouth to avoid a snorting laugh. Hermione started reading it aloud.

"'Mr Moony presents his compliments to Professor Snape, and' –what?- 'begs him to keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business.'" she read, but had to stop to laugh.

"It gets better, look!" said Harry in a fit of sniggers. "'Mr Prongs agrees with Mr Moony and would like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git. … Mr Padfoot would like to register his astonishment that an idiot like that ever became a Professor,'" he continued.  
Ron grabbed the Map and read the last bit; "'Mr Wormtail bids Professor Snape good day and advises him to wash his hair, the slime ball.' Harry, what is this?"

"That is what happens if you demand that it 'reveal the information if conceals'," choked Harry. "It would have been funnier at the time if I hadn't been in an empty dungeon with Snape."

"C'mon, let's let Lupin have a look at it," said Hermione.

"What are you three still doing here?" asked a cheerful voice in front of them. Lupin had just entered the hall.

"Herbology," said Harry. "We were just about to go looking for you," he said cautiously, indicating the parchment. The last time Lupin had seen him in possession of the Marauder's Map, he'd been told off.

"Well, let's have a look, -" said Lupin, and he started when he saw the Map.

"Moody had it- er, Crouch, that is, and then Moody found it. Sirius just sent it back to me," explained Harry.

Lupin murmured something rather indistinctly, and then said, "Let's see, this could take a while. You mind if I keep it for a bit? I read about this curse somewhere, but it could take while to find."

"All right," said Harry. "I wish it covered Hogsmead, too. Professor McGonagall was rather reluctant to let me go as it is, Sirius too."

"I should think they would be, but I understand. The staff was rather paranoid with me when I was at school, too. I know you're not two years old, but I also know that it's hard to keep a guard up," Lupin replied.

"Constant vigilance," said Harry with a dark look.

At that point, Hermione looked at her watch, grabbed all her books and exclaimed, "History of Magic in 5 minutes! Come on!"  
They waved goodbye to Lupin and ran down the corridor with Hermione muttering that they would be late for sure the whole way. Harry could tell Ron really wanted to get his breath back long enough to make a smart remark. Harry led them through a secret passage he remembered seeing on the Map, but tripped at the sound of a bone chilling voice from below.

_"… Rip … tear … kill … must get out … very hungry …"  
_  
Harry stopped dead and Ron and Hermione tripped over him.

"D'you think we're over the Chamber?" he whispered.

"Chamber?" said Hermione. "Harry, stop talking nonsense, we've got to get to class!"

She and Ron dragged Harry to the end of the passage and into Professor Binns's Classroom. Not long after the start of the lecture on Beasts/Being Classifications, Harry got a prod in the ribs and a scribble from Ron.

_What were you babbling about back there?_

I heard that voice again. I think that passage is over the Chamber of Secrets.

But the basilisk is dead, isn't it?

I know, that's what worries me. How many you recon are in there?

I don't know, it's just "the horror within", didn't it?

So there could be more. Great.

Would you two be quiet?

Shut up, Hermione. We're not talking.

Well, what's you're take on this? Think there could be more than one basilisk?

Why can't you two just stare out the window like always?

Just then they got a look from Professor Bins. Hermione snatched the parchment and stuffed it in her bag. Harry and Ron, being out of parchment, stared out the window at the rain.

The school approached the Friday of the first Hogsmead trip with high spirits, Harry especially. Even Malfoy was excited about the trip; Harry noticed that Malfoy wasn't getting his usual sweats from home as frequently or in the same quantities.

"He looks so desperate- maybe we could trick him into a ton tongue toffee!" said Fred once as they were leaving the Great Hall.

Harry was surprised to see that the Dementors weren't there, but Hermione wasn't.

"What would they do- tread water?" she said.

They had to use the boats used in the First year lake crossing just to get up to the Hogsmead gates. As Hermione had said, the village was much higher than the school grounds. It wasn't until they ventured near the Shrieking Shack that Harry felt a slight pain in his scar. He stumbled onto the fence, in effect alarming Ron and Hermione.

"What is it, Harry?" asked Hermione.

"My scar, it just started burning," has murmured. "But he can't be close by, can he?"

"I don't know- the rumours-" started Ron.

"-Started outside the pubs," Harry finished. "I don't think he knows any of the secret passages, so he's probably just really pissed at the moment."

"HARRY!"

"But Wormtail knows," said Harry, ignoring Hermione's scolding.

"The tunnel's completely flooded if the school grounds are this bad," said Ron.

"Right," said Hermione. "The only way he can get through is if he's and Animagus fish."

"We can't rule that out," said Ron thoughtfully.

Both Harry and Hermione hit him upside the head and said the idea was preposterous, but Harry privately half agreed. He knew by now that just because the Ministry required all Animagi to register, not all did. It was entirely possible that Voldemort was an Animagus; Harry just didn't think he'd be a fish.

Hours later back in the Common Room, pockets full of sweets ans stomachs aching from too much butterbeer; Harry proposed his theory to Hermione.

"Good point, but you're right, he wouldn't be a fish," she replied.

"I'm thinking snake, if he's anything," said Harry. "Fish just doesn't suit him."

"Is it by personality or can you choose? Imagine if you were a flea or something," said Ron over top his card house.

"I believe it's by personality," replied Hermione.

"What about Skeeter." Harry thought aloud.

"She snoops whether she's bog or not," said Hermione. "I think you can only be a normal creature, too."

"Normal?" asked Harry.

"Not something you'd find in Fantastic Beasts. Something unobtrusive that Muggles wouldn't think twice about," she explained.

"D'you thing anyone can do it?" asked Ron as he place a card on top.

Harry and Hermione looked at him strangely.

"Get your head out of the cards! Wormtail can do it!" said Harry.

"But what if he was, I dunno, a special one? What if it's like Parsel tongue?" Ron persisted.

"Harry and Hermione couldn't thing up a response so they sat and sulked in the arm chairs.

"You know, if you really want to know, you could ask Sirius," said Hermione.

"Well, that might make him think I'm trying to be one," said Harry.

"True," said Hermione. "I hope to be one someday…" she said dreamily.

"Let me guess: there's an age limit," said Harry pessimistically.

"Yes, 18, same as Apparation. Of course, there are ways around it…" said Hermione, smiling mischievously.

Just then, there was a big flash from the other side of the room- mystery creams had turned its consumer into a dove.


	7. Quidditch Again

Chapter 7: Quidditch Again

The week following was a hard, slow week. Harry and the rest of the school enjoyed the (arguably) uneventful Halloween feast. There was the usual colony of live bats, ghosts re-enacting their deaths, and of course, food.

"First normal Halloween feast ever!" said Ron as they set off for the common room.

"So far… I keep thinking a troll's going to pop out of a wall at me," said Harry. "I'm turning into Moody."

After the feast, everyone was looking forward to the first Quidditch match, Gryffindor vs. Slytherin. The only time Harry recalled time moving that slowly was Double Potions. The tension was high, for there hadn't been a Quidditch match at Hogwarts since Gryffindor vs. Slytherin two years prior, in which Gryffindor had won. But if tension was high in the corridors, it was nothing compared to the Gryffindor team.

Katie was sick and tired of Wood's input. Most of the team was on her side, but didn't say anything for fear of both of them. Wood, though he said nothing of the sort, didn't seem to have wanted Katie as a captain. Katie was doing her best to pretend she didn't care, but obviously did. Wood nitpicked and Katie tried to remain calm, but according to Alicia Wood was tap dancing on thin ice. The team tried not to get involved and Summoned their homework from the stands whenever Wood started his criticism. According to Fred and George, who had been spying on the competition, the Slytherins weren't doing much better.

"Still don't know who's captain," said George as the team was Banishing his homework to resume play.

Wood, though slightly overbearing, had really helped them a lot, and left for his own training in mid October. The day of the match, which happened to be the first sunny day in a while, nerves finally set in for Harry. He forced down some breakfast to shut Hermione up. He grabbed his Firebolt and headed down to the locker rooms to change. Harry strained his ears for the basilisk's voice, but heard nothing. The team was nearly silent as they changed.

"All right, everyone," said Katie before they left. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred.

"The one we've all been waiting for," said George.

"Shut it," said Katie with an uncharacteristic evil eye that shut the twins right up.

"If we just play like we know we can, I know we can do it," she said.

Katie led them out to the Pitch to meet the Slytherin team, lead by-

"Not you!" said Harry in outrage. The rest of the Gryffindor team was mouthing words they'd most likely be disqualified for using.  
The Slytherin team was smirking, still having gone for size rather than skill- except for one small, blond, captain.

"Captains, shake hands," said Madame Hooch. She too was glaring at Malfoy. Katie and Malfoy shook hands, but pulled their hands away as though from an electric shock- not unlike Sirius and Snape.

"On my whistle then. 3…2…1-"

And they were off. Harry searched around for a glitter of gold, but saw only the players; small red blurs looping big green blurs. Lee Jordan was commentating as always.

"Gryffindor in possession: Captain Katie Bell streaking up the pitch there- loops a charging Slytherin, passes to Alicia- OH! FOUL! Penalty to Gryffindor!"

Alicia had gotten a broom tail in the face from the Slytherin Chasers. Katie made the shot, making it 10-0 Gryffindor.

"Slytherin in possession; dodges a Bludger –darn- and- YES! Hit in the nose by another Bludger sent that way by Gryffindor Beater –no idea which one- and Gryffindor back in possession with new-comer Fiona Craine, rather good flier; nice find of Wood's- er, Katie's- HEY! Bludger pelted toward the COMMENTATOR, isn't that a foul? Slytherin in possession again… speeding Bludger knocks him- yes! There's Fiona! Craine is off, loops a Bludger, a Beater- SHE SCORES! 20-ZIP GRYFFINDOR!"  
Harry still saw no sign of the Snitch. Malfoy was marking him closely, but got distracted whenever his team messed up. Each was determined to win at almost all costs.

"Slytherin has the Quaffle, Gryffindor planning their attack- no mercy, girls!"

"Jordan, we've been through this," growled Professor McGonagall.

"Sorry, Professor," grumbled Jordan, though every person in the stands knew he wasn't.

"Gryffindor now in possession- nice little play there- FOUL! YOU DIRTY CHEATERS!"

The Slytherin team had tried to jump the girls, who all turned different directions; the Slytherins had to pull themselves back on tediously before cursing about the foul. Fiona took the shot and made it (30-0,G).

"Now Slytherin in possession looks like they're going for size over skill again. It looks like they, if possible, have gone down grade since Flint left- HEY! WHAT IS WITH SENDING BLUDGERS TOWARD THE COMMENTATOR? Stop smiling like that, Professor- hey, Harry's seen the Snitch! I think, anyway…"

"What's he doing?" shouted Ron from the stands.

"I don't know," replied Hermione. They were both standing on their seats searching for the Snitch.

Harry had seen the Snitch at first, before his scar started throbbing. Harry pulled out of the dive, but his head was still pounding and the Snitch had disappeared. He took a hand off his Firebolt and tried to rub his head, but whenever he tried to touch his head the pain intensified. His very blood seemed to be on fire, coursing through his veins like acid.

Malfoy hadn't seen the Snitch and by the time he caught up with Harry, it had disappeared. Harry tried to push through the pain, but his vision was blurring horribly. He missed the whistle and first but found his way to the team huddle and his head stabilized slightly.

"I called time out," said Katie. "Harry what's the matter? You look ill!"

Harry, feeling light headed but able to speak, said, "My scar again, it's dying down now. I don't understand it though."

"What's it mean?"

"Ask me later," said Harry. "Don't worry, it's almost gone."

Madame Hooch joined the huddle, also looking a bit worried.

"So, ready to resume play?" she said.

Katie looked over at Harry uneasily.

"I'm fine, really," he said, hoping to convince himself along with the rest of the team.

Play resumed and Harry caught sight of a gold glimmer 20 feet above the Gryffindor goal posts. Malfoy hadn't seen it yet; he was dodging a Bludger in the centre while Harry was on the Slytherin side of the pitch. He turned his Firebolt up quickly and zoomed to his own side of the Pitch toward the Snitch.

Malfoy caught sight of the red blur that was Harry passing him and followed in hot pursuit. Harry tried to flatten himself on the broom and urged it to go faster- he didn't want a repeat of the last find. He threw himself forward and closed his hands on the elusive golden- AIR?

Harry looked all around- he knew for sure he'd sent he Snitch. He looked behind at Malfoy, who was also bewildered. Harry decided it must have been a hallucination- although that wasn't a comforting thought.

"Not sure what that was about," said Lee Jordan. "Gryffindor back in possession- OH! Hit in the side of the head with a Bludger. There goes Harry again; something tells me he's Feighting but Malfoy's falling for- hey, he wasn't! Harry's got the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 180-0!"

Harry, still feeling light headed, landed rather sloppily and made his way into the locker rooms with the aid of Fred and George.

"That was brilliant catch, Harry!" Ron was still singing half and hour later in Hagrid's Hut while Harry was being made a strong cup of tea.

"But I still don't understand… the last few days I've been getting that weird burning in my scar, but Voldemort" –("Don't say the name!")- "can't be near me, so he must be feeling mad…" said Harry as he though.

"And that makes sense," said Hermione as she handed him his tea. "Don't worry about it for now."

"But my scar's never hurt like this when I'm awake."

Hermione couldn't explain that.

"Aye, but she's right, though, Harry," said Hagrid. "Nothing can hurt yeh around Dumbledore."

Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged guilty looks while Hagrid was getting some biscuits. Each year so far, Harry had been snatched out from under Dumbledore's nose and put in life threatening danger.

"I just wish I knew what it really meant! I just have a guess to go on," said Harry angrily as he rubbed his scar forcefully, which achieved nothing except further messing up his already untidy hair. Hermione's perfectionist natures got the best of her and she tried to flatten Harry's hair- unsuccessfully.

"Stop, it's no use," said Harry as he pushed her away.

"You know, Sleakeazy's could work wonders for you," she said.

"I just don't understand it," groaned Harry about his scar. My scar hadn't hurt like it did during the match since my dream last summer."

Ron spat out his tea. Hermione almost choked on hers. Harry hit himself in the head for voicing his thoughts out loud and scaring them.

"What? You had another one? You should have told us!" Ron scolded.

"I knew you'd overreact like this," said Harry.

"Well, what happened in your dream?" asked Hermione as she took another sip of tea.

"Same as always, Voldemort-"

"Will you quit saying the name?"

"Shut up. Anyways, he was plotting my death again."

Three gulps echoed through the hut.

"Harry, don' fuss o'er it too much," said Hagrid with a casual wave of his hand. "Dumbledore has eyes an' ears all o'er Britain and Europe; he'll be th' firs' ter know of any Dark activities. An' yeh've got a good head on yer shoulders, Harry."

"Cheers, Hagrid," said Harry, smiling widely. Nothing cheered him up quite like some encouraging words from Hagrid.


	8. Of Plants and Potions

Chapter 8: Of Plants and Potions

Possibly enlightened by their lead in the Quidditch standings, the Gryffindor 5th years' spirits took a definite up turn on Monday. Harry had been looking forward to Charms especially, for they were due to start the Patronus Charm.  
Harry's thoughts of the Patronus were interrupted in Defence Against the Dark Arts- Snape was teaching. He could see that Ron was having trouble holding back the urge to hit himself in the head repeatedly with The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection.

"You all know why I am here," Snape said curtly to start the lesson.

The class looked around at each other uneasily.

"I believe you were covering the Unforgivable Curses?" Snape continued. His tone suggested a question, but the look of pure venom he gave the class told Harry quite plainly to stop Hermione from correcting him. Harry and Ron both grabbed Hermione's arm as it shot up and wrenched it back down.

"Don't provoke him, he almost looks happy," Harry murmured out of the corner of his mouth. Hermione looked awfully put out.

Snape, quite surprised that no one tried to defy him, smiled almost genuinely.

"I see all that remains is to witness the curses," he said. There was a mischievous glint in his eyes that Harry thought looked similar to the picture in his photo album. He, Ron and Hermione glanced over at Neville, who'd had drastic side effects the last time he'd seen the Curses demonstrated. Hermione's arm was twitching from the reflex to shoot up and inform Snape.

"Sit on your hands if you have to," advised Ron in a whisper.

Snape took out a jam jar full of beetles. Hermione's arm finally stopped twitching and a smirk flickered across her face.

"Wouldn't it be perfect if one of them is Skeeter?" she mumbled. Harry bit his lip to keep from smiling.  
Now, someone, tell me the Curses," said Snape suddenly.

Hermione couldn't resist and shot her hand into the air so quickly that Harry and Ron got mild whiplash. Snape smiled bitterly and ignored Hermione's quivering hand.

"Well, perhaps a demonstration to refresh your memories," he said. He pulled out a large fat beetle and put it on the desk. He pulled his wand out and pointed it at the class for a split second before he brought it down on the beetle and said, "Crucio!"

The beetle's legs curled up and it rolled around the desk. Harry closed his eyes and tried to block the memories flooding back that he'd spent the summer trying to forget. He could hear the taunts of the Death Eaters… feel the white hot knives piercing his flesh… hear the high… cold… evil laugh…

A kick in the shins from Ron brought him back to the present. Snape jerked his wand up and the bug stopped twitching. Snape glanced at Neville quickly with something that looked remarkably like (it couldn't be!) pity.

Snape's face was hard to read; he looked like a person who had just performed a thrilling stunt and –while feeling the satisfaction of a perfect execution- realized the dangerous of forbidden natures of the feat.

"Let's move on," he said in a stunned voice. He tipped the unconscious beetle back into the jar and took out a fresh one. Snape hesitated a moment- probably deciding what to make the spider do- before saying, "Imperio!"

The beetle flew up and flopped on the teacher's desk and then on the desks in the front row. It did some strange gymnastics before…

Harry lost track of what the beetle was doing. He didn't have a voice echoing in his head, but he was getting a headache and more memories flooding back. He jerked himself back to the classroom only to see Snape looking quite insane. His eyes were getting big and a crazy smile was visible on his face. Harry tried to slide his chair back silently, but made just a loud enough noise on the floor to distract Snape, who jerked his wand up.

"Is there a problem, Potter?" he said softly and icily.

"No, sir!" said Harry in a voice quite unlike his own. Snape looked suspiciously at him for a moment while he shoved the beetle onto the floor (he'd been aiming for the jam jar). He grabbed the jar with the remaining beetles and took out one, which seemed to not want to stay put (Snape still hadn't noticed the beetle on the floor). The class collectively held breath as Snape breathed deep… and then-

"Avada Kedarva."

A flash of green and the beetle was dead. The entire glass backed their chairs out to the point of leaning on the desk behind. Snape didn't seem bothered by that, though. He was staring at his wand with a stranger look than ever. He looked almost like he'd enjoyed what he'd just done…

"That qualifies as the creepiest lesson we've ever had," said Ron as they left for Charms. "He didn't torment Neville, didn't insult Lupin's teaching, didn't insult our work-"

"Didn't give us any work," added Harry.

"You know, I could get used to this," said Hermione, taking both Harry and Ron by surprise.

"Come on, I want to get to Charms," said Harry as he pushed through the crowd.

"Why are you suddenly so interested in Charms?" Hermione called over some first years that had emerged from History of Magic.

"Patronus!" Harry called back. He heard an indistinct groan somewhere behind him.

Fifteen minutes later in Charms, Professor Flitwick had finished explaining what they were to do and was clearing the desks away with a sweep of his want. None of the students seemed to have the force of mind that Professor Lupin had discussed with Harry years before. Only Hermione had Managed even and indistinct cloud for a Patronus. A few were rather upset; Harry spent most of the class trying not to smile.

"All right, Potter, let's see what you can do," said an exhausted Professor Flitwick near the end of class.

Harry fought back the snort of laughter that was fighting hard to escape him. He paused a moment to select a happy memory, settling on winning the Quidditch memory, setting on winning the Quidditch Cup from 3rd year. The crowd's cheering was already echoing in his head.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" he shouted. The class gasped and Professor Flitwick toppled out of sight off the pile of books as a silvery stag erupted from Harry's wand. It ran a few circles around Harry before dissolving into the air.

"Excellent, Potter!" said Professor Flitwick from somewhere behind his desk just before the bell. He asked Harry to wait after.

"That was some Patronus, Potter. I've never seen anyone produce such a distinct Patronus their first try- I know many fully trained wizards that can't produce a Patronus like that!" he said.

"Well, it wasn't my first one," said Harry guiltily.

"Oh, practising in the common room?" Professor Flitwick asked happily.

"Erm, no. You see, Professor Lupin taught me in 3rd year- just in case the Dementors showed up at another Quidditch match," Harry explained.

"Oh," said Professor Flitwick flatly. "Well, run along, Potter, you don't want to be late."

Far from the push over Charms had been, Divination was an entirely different scenario. After hearing about his soon coming death for two consecutive years, Harry was looking forward to Divination Class about as much as one looks forward to a sleep over in the Forbidden Forest. They were due to start something new that day and Harry, Ron, Dean and Seamus speculated as to what it might be.

"I'm just glad we're done with Bibliomancy," said Harry. "I was getting tired of her telling me how opening a book to a flock of sheep was an omen of death, too."

"Maybe we get to observe animals," Ron said hopefully. "That could get us outside at least."

"Nah, she'd never let us out of that room," said Seamus. "It's probably something stupid like, I dunno… mutilated aracnimancy."

"What?"

"Smash a spider with a hammer and see which legs break off."

Ron gave an involuntary shiver while the other three laughed. They started up the silver stepladder.

"I've been looking through Unfogging the Future," started Harry, "and I think we'll be fine as long as it's not-"

Harry stopped on the ladder as soon as he saw the classroom.

"It is," he groaned."

"What?"

"Ceromancy."

"What?"

"You'll see."

Harry, out of boredom, had indeed looked up the many ways in which Professor Trelawny could predict his death. Ceromancy was a particularly nasty form of Divination that involved not wax and cold water. Harry and Ron took their usual seats in the large armchairs nearest the back of the room, farthest from the perfumed fire and nearest the window. Slightly to their disappointment, Neville took the third chair at their table.

"Good day, my dears," said the mystical voice of Professor Trelawny from behind Parvati and Lavender.

"Oh, just kill me now," Harry groaned under his breath. Ron strained his face to keep from sniggering. Professor Trelawny apparently didn't notice, although Parvati and Lavender shot Harry and Ron dirty looks.

"Today, we shall start Ceromancy," said Professor Trelawny. "The procedure is rather complicated, but perhaps some of you" –she smiled warmly at Parvati and Lavender- "shall See before the end of this class. In a few minutes, I shall distribute the hot wax and cold water. Pour the wax slowly from the brass bowl into the cold water. You shall interpret the shapes it forms. You must be careful, though; if the wax is poured too quickly it may…"

Harry didn't catch much more; he and Ron had blocked out Trelawny's mystical drone and started playing the dot game in Harry's book. Ron flipped to the Ceromancy section when Professor Trelawny brought the wax. She looked sorrowfully at Harry once more.

"My dear!" she gasped suddenly, tossing the wax up in the air. Harry lunged across the table and just barely deflecting the bowl of boiling wax. It landed between some tables on the other side of the room.

"I'm sorry, my dears," said Professor Trelawny, now sitting cross-legged on the floor apparently meditating. "The danger I foresaw was just so horribly dreadful… I'm sorry, Potter; I can't let you participate in today's Divination."

Harry raised an eyebrow. He was pretty glad that he didn't have to mess with boiling wax, but rather flustered that his teacher thought he wasn't capable.

"What exactly did you see, Professor?" gasped Parvati and Lavender, almost in unison.

Harry -now back in his seat- put his head in his hand and mumbled to Ron, "You'd almost think they planned this."  
Ron rolled his eyes in response as Professor Trelawny started her over dramatization like in a police movie.

"I stepped toward the table to routinely distribute the wax, and was struck by a most disturbing vision- boiling wax, airborne, and flying at a small figure- at Potter!" she said, pointing at Harry.

Ron sniggered slightly at the term "small figure" referring to Harry, who groaned.

"But that is not al, my dears," she continued. "The wax hardened in the air, and it was the shape of a Grim!"

"Professor," said Harry, trying to keep frustration out of his voice, "I think you saw yourself throwing the wax and my catching it just now."

"All the same, dear, please step over to my desk, Potter."

Professor Trelawny got up with the assistance of Parvati and Lavender. She breathed deeply with her eyes closed as Parvati picked up the wax bowl on the other side of the room. She was about to hand it to Trelawny when Lavender slipped on the spilled wax, tripping Parvati; Parvati tossed the bowl of wax, which spilled on Ron's book inches away from Neville, who was about the same height as Harry.

"I think we shall leave it here for today," said Professor Trelawny.

Potions class the next day was just as eventful. Hermione, for the first and probably last time in her life was five minutes late.

"Sorry, prefect meeting in the Great Hall ran late," she said when she came in and gave Snape a piece of paper explaining her position. She went to her seat by Ron and Harry and they explained to the best of their ability the recipe for the day's potion. Hermione seemed extremely distracted.

"Is there something bothering you today?" Ron asked.

"Just the stupidity of some of the prefects. Dumbledore spent five whole minutes explaining that You-Know-Who was against us too; he actually had to explain that it's not just us holding a grudge. Some of them thought that You-Know-Who was a victim who hadn't been loved enough as a child. I almost hit them." She sighed in an annoyed yet amused way.

Malfoy sauntered in just then. He had no written excuse about the Prefect meeting, but Snape let it go, infuriating the whole of the Gryffindors. Malfoy shot an evil look at Harry, Ron and Hermione that they gladly returned, sort of.

"Oh shoot!" said Harry, as he realized that when Malfoy distracted them, he, Harry, had poured all the unmeasured contents of a beaker he'd been holding into his potion. "Hermione, how much of that did I just pour in and how much did we need?"

"You only need 2 drops of that green stuff, and you just poured at least 5."

"Screwed up again, I see," Malfoy leaned over the cauldron. "Maybe that Disturbed and Dangerous article wasn't that far from the- …AAAAAARRRGGHHH! PROFESSOR!"

The potion had exploded in Malfoy's face. His eyes sprouted stalks and there were antlers growing from behind his ears. The Slytherins were rushing to his assistance, thought the only two in the room that would know the antidote were Snape and possibly Hermione. The Gryffindors were running over to get a good laugh. Snape took one look at Malfoy's face and turned beet-red in anger.

"POTTER! WEASLEY! GRANGER! DETENTION AND 50 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" he shouted.

"Professor, he distracted me and put his face over it, why is that my fault?" Harry dared to ask.

"10 MORE POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR, AND BE SILENT OR I'LL MAKE IT 100!" Snape rushed Malfoy from the room, most likely to the hospital wing.

The Slytherins went back to their cauldrons, every one of them glaring at Harry as they passed. The Gryffindors also returned to their cauldrons but each one congratulating Harry in some way.

"Good one, Harry! Never saw it coming!" Dean said between laughs.

"He had it coming, sooner or later. I'm just glad I got to see it," Seamus said in amusement.

"What'd you do? Fred and George will be wanting it," Ron said with a grin.

Harry, unfortunately, didn't see things so optimistically. He'd just gotten 60 points from Gryffindor, was one step closer to failing Potions, and had another strike against him with Snape.

"Harry, snap out of it! You just turned Malfoy into an alien deer!" Hermione said, shaking him out of his trance.

"Any one else want to try some of it? Taste like Bertie Bott's!"


End file.
